The theme of this year’s conference is the “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile” services. The conference will feature plenary sessions and panel discussions, but also thematic workshops where you can get feedback from top researchers in your field of research. It will also be a good opportunity to network and make new contacts.

The Crisis Research Centre will co-author a presentation on February 12. The panel will be on intergovernmental coordination, convened by the COST network. “This is the first time that the Crisis Research Centre is in Asia, and it is gratifying to see that in just three years we have succeeded in building an international network of wide-ranging cooperation. One of the organisers of the conference is the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Indian Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions,” said Hannes Nagel, Head of the Crisis Research Centre.

“In our presentation, we focused on the process of team-based meaning-making in the early stages of a crisis, before key decisions are made. We explored how multi-level decision-makers dealt with the incubation period of the COVID-19 pandemic with the authorisation of a possible superspreader event in March 2020 in Saaremaa.”

The analysis was based on data-frame theory and included content analysis of media coverage and semi-structured interviews with representatives of multi-level stakeholders. The results show that team meaning-making at this critical stage was mainly limited to mapping the data and the framework and to refining the framework, which ultimately led to a flawed decision.

The Crisis Research Centre study highlights the complex dynamics that shaped the decisions taken in the early phase of the crisis and underlines the importance of team meaning-making in a pre-crisis situation. The process analysed shows how decisions made during the incubation period can be biased by limited meaning-making activities, to the exclusion of critical reflection and alternative scenarios.The results of the study will help to understand how to better manage early crisis decisions in the future to avoid similar mistakes and ensure more effective crisis management.

The compact device, consisting of small cubes containing medical tools like a mini X-ray and ultrasound, and powered by a solar-charged generator, allows surgeons to start operating within just one hour. The medical facility is housed within 72 compact waterproof cubes, each weighing less than 15kg and measuring 38cm x 38cm x 38cm. These cubes are equipped with tents and specially designed medical gear.

They can be transported to conflict zones or locations affected by natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes in remote areas. Moreover, these cubes are resilient
enough to endure airdrops from planes or helicopters. Five trained individuals can assemble the cubes into a fully operational hospital within one hour, enabling doctors to address injuries and conduct life-saving surgeries.

Each hospital unit is capable of treating up to 200 patients, performing 20 surgeries and carrying out 72 tests (25 simultaneously).¹ It can also house 100 people for up to 48 hours.² The innovation lies in its lightweight design, allowing it to deliver essential medical care in challenging and remote terrains where prompt attention is crucial.

From emergencies to surgeries, encompassing scenarios such as fire outbreaks, wars, floods, and earthquakes, this mini-hospital aims to provide immediate and superior care for all types of victims. The Aarogya Maitri Aid Cube hospital, officially unveiled in early December, features compact intensive-care units, an operating theater, and a variety of equipment such as portable X-ray and ultrasound machines, as well as ventilators.3

Its power source is a generator fueled by solar panels, and it includes provisions for water and a cooking station. This hospital is a component of a broader healthcare initiative aimed at aiding low-income countries impacted by natural disasters.

Where such innovation could find practical use?

The adaptability and configurable nature of these air-droppable cubes make them a valuable asset. For instance, if the primary requirement on-site is for life-saving surgery, the operating theater can be assembled first in as little as 12 minutes, enabling doctors to commence surgery while the remaining cubes are being set up.

While the contents of 60 cubes are fixed, the contents of the remaining 12 can be adjusted to accommodate various situations. It required a year of collaboration with doctors, army medics, engineers, and designers to develop the blueprint. Each cube is both waterproof and corrosion-proof, undergoing resilience tests through drops from helicopters and drones.

Additionally, the cube features a tablet computer programmed to reduce assembly errors, with an alarm system activating if incorrect equipment is placed in any given cube. Moreover, there is an accompanying app that aids users in swiftly locating items within the cubes, monitoring their usage and expiration dates, and ensuring readiness for future deployments.

As of December 12, India has provided a set of these cubes to Sri Lanka and Myanmar as part of its global humanitarian program.4 It might be worthwhile for the Estonian Rescue Board to explore acquiring or at least testing this Indian innovation to enhance its civil defence capabilities.

In the overview of current political events in Greenland, there are a number of keywords that are in one way or another related to issues that affect the development of the territory, but also the country’s foreign policy. In order to better understand them, it is worth studying the recent history of Greenland, which is an important link between the past and present events. Greenland, the largest island in the world, is a self-governing territory in the continent of North America, autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Self-Government Act adopted in 2009 gave Greenland the right to take over powers and responsibilities from the Danish authorities in areas where the constitution allowed it. Although the new law reduced Denmark’s economic support to Greenland, Greenland remains responsible for its own natural resources, and the revenue from these remains in Greenland (Anon., 2023). Its government is composed of Inatsisartut (parliament) and Naalakkersuisut (government), with Greenlandic as the official language under the Local Government Act. However, Danish is also widely used for administrative purposes.

Which topics will dominate the Greenland’s media at the end of 2023?

During the period from 20 October to 20 November 2023, three main topics were highlighted: the opening of Greenland’s representation in the People’s Republic of China, the joint exercises of the Danish and US Armed Forces, and Greenland’s accession to the Paris Climate Agreement. The first of these, the opening of the embassy in the People’s Republic of China, is of particular significance as Greenland, as a autonomous territory of Denmark, is promoting high-level relations with China, with Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeld attending the official opening of the embassy in Beijing on 26 October.

Although the representative office was formally opened in Beijing in 2021 and will be located at the Danish Embassy to the People’s Republic of China, the easing of China’s COVID-19 restrictions has only now made it possible to open it publicly. Despite being located at the Danish Embassy, it is a separate institution representing political, cultural and economic cooperation between Greenland and mainland China (Wegner, 2023).

It is also a sign of the high level of relations that the opening of the mission is just part of Foreign Minister Motzfeld’s week-long visit to China, which aimed to strengthen Greenland’s relations with China on economic, trade, tourism, as well as Arctic issues. In particular, it is worth noting that for the past 20 years, Greenland and China have also enjoyed significant cooperation in the fisheries sector, with seafood exports accounting for a noteworthy share of Greenland’s economy (Shiwei, 2023).

In addition to seafood, tourism also plays an important role in Greenland-China cooperation, as demonstrated by the large investments in tourism policy and strategy and the construction of three airports (Nuuk, Ilulissat and Qagortoq) (Xiangjun, 2023).

Greenland is also a valuable partner for the United States. The war in Ukraine, Russia’s presence in the Arctic, China’s increasing attention and demand for the Arctic region’s resources, combined with climate change, have further increased Greenland’s strategic and resource value for the US (Federman, 2023). This is exemplified by the plan of the US and Danish armed forces to cooperate regionally and launch joint exercises in Greenland, the first of which is scheduled for 2025, focusing mainly on force response and operations during disasters (Durr & Lyons, 2023).

In addition, from May 2024, young people in Greenland will be able to apply for and
participate in an exercise developed by the Danish Armed Forces in cooperation with the Greenlandic Government, aimed at strengthening the preparedness and resilience of the local community (a total of 57,000 people live on the island) in extreme situations. For example, participants will be trained in the use of weapons and first aid in arctic conditions (Edvardsen, 2023).

Concerns about the effects of the climate crisis

Greenland is not only affected by foreign policy trends, but also by climate change. The Paris Climate Agreement has been on the agenda in Greenland for years, but action has only now been acted upon, with Greenland joining the agreement in autumn 2023. This is an important step for the region, as several studies suggest that glacial melting has accelerated since the beginning of the century and will continue to do so at a faster pace. For example, a recent study highlights that while in the 1980s and 1990s glaciers were melting at a rate of up to 5 metres per year, in the last 20 years this rate has almost quintupled to 25 metres per year (Knapp & Ohnsman, 2023).

While the melting of glaciers leads to a number of existential threats, such as rising ocean water levels and temperatures, and thus negatively affects the wider living environment, the threat of climate change in Greenland is primarily posed by the huge ice shelf covering its territory, which if it melts will raise sea levels by more than 7 metres worldwide. A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen also shows that climate warming, ice melt and habitat changes have already negatively affected Greenland’s polar bear population (Lorezen & Westbury, 2023).

Polar bear habitats are disappearing and the bears are therefore under serious threat. As Greenland and the Arctic region are the most affected by climate change, the Day of Accession to the Paris Climate Agreement was celebrated – the Greenlandic authorities have the will to act and take responsibility for the impending climate crisis. The Government of Greenland is prioritising the debate on what kind of country and environment it wants to leave for future generations (Edvardsen, 2023).

What does future hold for Greenland?

The loss of ice cover will not only affect ecosystems, but also the living conditions of local people. This, in turn, is linked to the scarcity of resources on the island and requires their sustainable use. The threat to Greenland’s natural resources (e.g. fish and minerals) lies in their profligate exploitation and possible overexploitation to meet the demands of foreign markets (e.g. China), whose importance to Greenland’s economy should not be underestimated. Fishing also has an impact on the well-being of the local population in terms of employment, and changes in traditional lifestyles in turn affect a cultural space that is different from Denmark.

In conclusion, in the 21st century Greenland could be threatened by a number of different issues with the potential to develop into full-scale crises at local level. The most important of these is climate – the island is particularly vulnerable to climate change, resulting in accelerated ice melt, rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events. Geopolitical issues are also increasingly on the agenda due to Greenland’s strategic location, and could also create tensions in the region due to the large mineral resources in the Arctic.

The growing interest of Russia, Canada, the US, as well as the People’s Republic of China, not only in the region’s natural resources, but also in air and maritime transport corridors, and the militarisation of Russia’s more northerly regions, only increase Greenland’s potential external interests. All of the above issues and crises require attention, together with long-term planning and international cooperation to find sustainable solutions that take into account Greenland’s needs.

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