International Day for Biological Diversity 2025

Knowledge Mobilization for Harmony with Nature in the Arctic

By Shivangi Mishra

In the vast, icy reaches of the Arctic, where climate change strikes hardest and biodiversity is both fragile and resilient, the work of preserving life begins not just in laboratories, but in communities.

#BiodiversityDay

This year’s International Day for Biological Diversity calls on us to recognize the deep, inseparable connections between people and the planet under the theme “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.” For those of us working with the Arctic Genomics Project, this theme is more than a message — it’s the foundation of our work.

Arctic Genomics & Knowledge Mobilization

To have real-world impact, genomics must be meaningful, useful, and accessible to the people who live in and steward the Arctic. That’s where knowledge mobilization (KMb) comes in.

For an effective knowledge mobilization, it is important to ensure the science we generate doesn’t just stay in papers and databases, but it reaches and empowers the communities who can use it to support Arctic species co-management, food security, and decision-making.

We do this through:

• Community-based workshops like MAGIC (Muskoxen and Genomics in the Community) & MAGIK (Marine Animal Genomics in Kuujjuaq), where Indigenous knowledge holders and researchers shared insights into Arctic biodiversity.
• Storytelling and dialogue events like Sparking an Interest in Genomics at TELUS Spark, which brought Arctic genomics into public spaces and sparked cross-cultural conversation.
• Conversations with diverse end-users to develop more effective co-management and policy strategies for Arctic biodiversity conservation and co-management.
• Accessible data tools that translate complex genomic data into user-friendly formats for community monitoring and environmental governance.

These initiatives embody harmony between scientific methods and Indigenous knowledge systems, between data and experience, between preservation and progress.

Why This Matters for Sustainable Development?

The Arctic is ground zero for climate impacts, but it’s also a place of remarkable knowledge, resilience, and cultural strength. By mobilizing genomic knowledge in collaboration with Indigenous communities, we support responsible stewardship of Arctic ecosystems, strengthen food security by understanding and protecting species that are central to subsistence and inform policies and practices that respect both biodiversity and Indigenous rights.

This is sustainable development in action, rooted in equity, evidence, and ecology.