Mayumi Sato

Mayumi is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Cambridge. Outside of university, she is a River Delta Advisor at Planet Reimagined and is a National Geographic Explorer. Regionally, she is a member of UN Women Asia and the Pacific 30 for 2030 Network, where she advises with other youth, journalists, and researchers on environmental issues, and women’s inclusion in sports in Asia.

«I think for many of us, meeting each other was a safe space and offered respite, in such a hectic week. These events can feel conflicting at times. These powerful interests presenting their agendas, coopting narratives of justice and sustainability, or just reinventing the wheel or performing business as usual can feel at odds with our values and hopes for climate future.

The purpose of us at Arctic Basecamp is to confront performativity, bring science to power, and raise the narratives and justice-oriented work that we do in our communities whether through volunteer, research, or community engagement, to a larger broader audience. As researchers, it’s critical to also dispel a lot of the misconceptions that exist around the Arctic, and additionally of the communities most affected by the climate crisis.

Many of us present are from Arctic countries, and for some, their research and daily experiences are shaped by living in the Arctic region. For the delegation collectively, I think it’s important to raise their voices especially to the fore.

Yet, even with this, I think there is a public sense of detachment or disassociation with the Arctic because they might not directly see their relevance to a geographically distant place. But one thing I’ve noticed and commiserated with other Ambassadors is how much the Arctic is fundamentally linked to other struggles around the world.

From its significance in global atmospheric circulation, moderation of ocean currents, and symbiotic relationships with Indigenous communities and wildlife, we talked about how failing to protect Arctic environments will have ripple effects and be catastrophic on a global scale. The Arctic is fundamental for ecosystem stability from rainforests to river deltas, and Arctic warming already is accelerating the prevalence of heatwaves, flooding, and storm surges worldwide. We need to draw these connections so that everyone recognizes their role in Arctic safeguarding.

Meeting a lot of people and organizations in the climate space that week, I think it’s important to recognize that these climate change measures that assess risk or progress should be co-collected and co-analyzed with the communities themselves. Data sovereignty for communities is important because top-down efforts to assess how humans, or other forms of life, are adversely impacted by the climate crisis can overlook assessments of how lives are being impacted from community epistemologies. There’s a lot of great community work being mobilized around grassroots data collection and assessments, so hopefully more organizations can leverage or support this kind of work.»

Sofia Corradi

Sofia is a Brazilian PhD candidate in Environmental Systems Analysis and Modeling at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Her research centers on modeling multifunctional ecosystem restoration in the Atlantic Forest biome. With a focus on Earth system sciences, her expertise includes land use and land cover, hydrology, and climatology. She is also actively involved in environmental advocacy at local and international levels.

«Power meets in Davos every January, where CEOs, presidents, directors, and other authorities come together for an annual retreat. But power is also formed differently when people like my colleagues and I, embarking on this journey, encounter each other there, perhaps for the first time, and find no barriers to collectively creating power.

While resonating with our personal and professional views, we speak from our backgrounds with the same message: science is the cornerstone of global prosperity and must be central to every conversation on the world’s most pressing challenges. With so many crises and conflicts, we must remember to put people and nature in the center to shape future agendas. And by fostering these conversations, these two forms of power can learn from each other and reshape narratives.

As an Earth Systems researcher, I try to introduce a broader perspective while identifying and understanding the interactions among diverse stakeholders. When, for example, we assert that sensitive global regions like the Arctic respond more rapidly to increasing temperatures, we must also make it clear that this amplifies threats to climate-vulnerable areas worldwide, and it is the responsibility of global leaders to address climate mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage within their spheres of influence.

We know that business as usual is incompatible with prioritizing life and planetary health, but why not take good risks and explore new directions? We have lost so much but still have so much left to restore. I am sure the commitment that my colleagues and I followed to bridging scientific discussions with youth activism and policy dialogues resonated. But this does not end after a week; it is a continued collective effort.»

Storm Lewis

Storm is a food sovereignty researcher, network weaver, and artist. Using the power of art and science, Storm advocates for economic resilience among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color farmers. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Taylor & Francis, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, TEDx, and the World War 3 Illustrated comic series.

Currently, Storm serves as a board member at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, an environmental education organization fostering a culture of sustainability and resilience. She is also the founder of Storm Indigo L. Consulting LLC, where she provides community engagement strategies, research services, and governance support for leading environmental organizations. Two of which include The Nature Conservancy and the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program. Storm holds a Master of Environmental Science degree from the Yale School of the Environment and a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College.

«Arctic Basecamp often describes the Arctic as a control center for the world’s climate system. Therefore, all communities have a stake in the polar region’s rapid warming. My connection to the Arctic stems from the 200+ hours I’ve spent volunteering at gardens in my hometown, Brooklyn. I’ve observed increasing heat shift harvests while exacerbating the urban heat island effect. Extreme storms have also led to devastating floods across New York City. I’ve responded to these challenges through participatory grantmaking and food sovereignty research. During my Masters at the Yale School of the Environment, I assessed drastic inequities in climate-smart technologies and climate mitigation capital for Black farmers. 

It is critical that environmental philanthropies and investors radically shift decision-making models to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color farmers. My identity as a researcher, artist, and activist positions me to combine climate data and creative storytelling. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to represent Arctic Basecamp as an Ambassador and amplify this message on platforms such as the World Economic Forum (WEF).

In Davos, I received the privilege of speaking with leading sustainability experts for the Unleashing Impact: How Do We Turbocharge Action? Panel at the SDG Tent. I also highlighted the significance of food sovereignty at The Hub Culture Davos Morning Show and the Youth Voices for the Planet Panel, facilitated by the We Don’t Have Time Davos Hub. Ultimately, promoting resilient food systems locally will be a central pathway for mitigating and adapting to Arctic warming globally.»

Mariah Seater

Mariah is a Fulbright Arctic Initiative Scholar and Arctic Basecamp Polar Scientist in Residence. She is currently living in Alaska and is a Doctor of Public Health candidate at Tulane University. 

«Speaking science to power is not just a responsibility, it is a necessity. As a lifelong Alaskan and public health scientist, I believe that we need to bridge together climate and population health research data, and the evidence must be paired with lived experience to drive meaningful and just solutions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Arctic, where the climate crisis is not a distant threat but a daily reality.

The presence of Arctic Basecamp at the World Economic Forum (WEF) is a powerful reminder that we must continually communicate science boldly and urgently to decision-makers. At WEF, I spoke about the need to elevate the voices of those who experience climate change firsthand: Indigenous and local communities, community health workers, and those living at the frontline of environmental degradation. These perspectives are not just anecdotal; they are critical data points that should inform policy at the highest levels.

As many of us already know, the Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet, with cascading impacts on the weather we experience every day, but what many may not consider are the impacts this then has on things like food security, public safety, human health, and geopolitical stability.

The messages I delivered at WEF centered on the need for policymakers to move beyond performative commitments and into strategic, equity-driven action. Solutions exist, but they require political will, sustained investment, and partnerships that respect local and Indigenous knowledge as equal to scientific expertise. In this work, I reject the notion of “calling out” policymakers for inaction. Instead, I believe in “calling in” leaders to co-develop solutions that are rooted in justice, sustainability, and shared responsibility.

Equity must be at the core of our response — climate adaptation cannot be just for the wealthiest nations or the most privileged communities. This means funding Indigenous-led climate initiatives, supporting community-driven health responses, and ensuring that Arctic nations do not bear the burden of mitigation efforts alone.

Reflecting on the progress made, I see both momentum and missed opportunities. There is an increasing recognition that climate and health are inextricably linked, yet too often, policies remain siloed, and those most affected are excluded from the decision-making table. We must continue to push for interdisciplinary, cross-sector collaborations that bring scientists, policymakers, and frontline communities together in true partnership. 

To stakeholders at every level — government officials, researchers, industry leaders, and global institutions, I urge a shift in thinking: From extractive approaches to reciprocal relationships. From short-term fixes to long-term resilience. From top-down mandates to community-driven leadership. The Arctic is our early warning system, and what happens here reverberates across the world.»

Dr James Grecian

James is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Geography at Durham University. As a Marine Ecologist and Data Scientist, his research focuses on understanding how large marine vertebrates interact with their environment. 

In this article, we republish passages from his blog post that appeared on Wednesday on Shackleton.com.

«While the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting itself is accessible only to a select few, hundreds of satellite events spread throughout Davos during the week. At Arctic Basecamp, we have a packed schedule of talks and events, starting on the Sunday night with a “Circle of Hope.” Youth Ambassadors, climate leaders, and activists gather around fire pits, share their stories, and discuss their hopes and aspirations for the coming week.

In the last three years, Swiss glaciers have lost more ice than they did in the 30 year period between 1960 and 1990. Walking around Davos, the contradictions on display are striking. Opposite the Climate Hub, an almost constant traffic jam of luxury SUVs fills the street – many with drivers idling their engines while waiting for passengers to finish meetings in the various pop-up stores and country ‘houses’ that take over the high street for the week. Roughly 1,000 private jets will fly in and out of the airports serving Davos, while helicopters buzz up and down the valley. Meanwhile, climate protesters block traffic on the roads leading into town.

[…]

However, I hear almost no discussion of the biodiversity crisis. The only mention comes during a session outlining the path to Brazil hosting COP30, the UN Climate Change Conference set to take place in Belém later this year. In this session, I hear inspiring and passionate words from leaders, including former Brazilian Minister of the Environment Isabella Teixeira, but we’re crammed into a side room in the SDG Tent. I worry these discussions aren’t being mirrored across the broader WEF community.»

«One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen.»

Aldo Leopold, American naturalist

Link to his full blog post: https://shackleton.com/en-de/blogs/articles/an-ecologist-s-guide-to-davos