PRIO participated in Arctic Frontiers 2026, the annual multi-stakeholder conference held in Tromsø, bringing together researchers, policymakers, industry actors, civil society, and Indigenous communities to discuss emerging challenges for Arctic governance and security.
Giacomo Bruni contributed to the Science Session on “Governance and Policy for Sustainable Space Activities,” which examined the legal and political dimensions of space activities in the Arctic. The session raised questions of regulation, oversight, and international cooperation in a domain increasingly shaped by both commercial expansion and deteriorating geopolitical conditions.
During the session, Bruni presented a paper on Norway’s space policy, examining how Norway is positioning itself in an increasingly strategic space domain with growing relevance for Arctic security and governance. The paper was developed within the project Navigating the New Space Race: Implications for Norwegian Security Policy and Defence Industry, which he leads at PRIO and which is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.
Reflecting on the discussions, Bruni emphasized that:
“The discussions highlighted the growing Arctic–space nexus, and the need for Norway to ensure that governance and security priorities in the High North are matched with long-term sustainability in space activities.”
PRIO’s participation highlights the institute’s continued engagement with the governance and security implications of emerging technologies in Arctic and global policy debates.
