Nuuk, Greenland
© Jessica Cook / Arctic Council Secretariat

Q&A with the new Sustainable Development Working Group Chair, Camilla Aviaja Olsen

November 3, 2025

Introducing Camilla Aviaja Olsen in her capacity as Chair of the Sustainable Development Working Group

Camilla Aviaja Olsen took on the role of Chair of the Arctic Council Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) in May 2025. With a professional background in Arctic affairs, Camilla brings with her a dedication to advancing sustainable development in Arctic communities and a goal to strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples and local voices in the Working Group. Learn about Camilla Aviaja Olsen, her ambitions for the Working Group and key projects for the years ahead.

What is the Sustainable Development Working Group's work focused on?

We often like to describe SDWG as the human dimension of the Arctic Council. What this means in practice is that our work covers a broad spectrum of issues that directly affect people’s daily lives, such as health and mental wellbeing, food security, culture and languages, housing and energy, and the role of Indigenous Peoples and local knowledge in decision-making. SDWG is unique in the sense that it always places people at the center of Arctic cooperation. It is not only about policy, but also about ensuring that the perspectives, priorities and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are incorporated into the Council’s work.

What inspires you about SDWG’s work?

I find a lot of inspiration in the way SDWG’s projects make a tangible difference for Arctic communities. It is rewarding to see Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives, youth and local priorities not just acknowledged, but also actively included in initiatives.

This is all possible as a direct result of the collaborative nature of the Working Group, and the Arctic Council as a whole. SDWG brings together governments, Permanent Participants, experts and local actors, creating a space where many perspectives meet. Overall, this ensures that the projects we develop are grounded in the realities of Arctic communities.

What are your ambitions as Chair of SDWG?

During my time as Chair, the most important thing to me is that SDWG continues to develop and implement projects that are meaningful and have a positive effect on people living in the Arctic. I want to prioritize efforts to strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples and local voices in shaping the group’s priorities and projects, ensuring that Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives are incorporated at every stage. With these focus areas laying the foundation for my ambitions as Chair, I also aim to make sure that we are able to support initiatives that connect sustainable development with practical improvements in areas such as energy, health and housing. I want to make sure that SDWG stays a place where cross-border and community cooperation leads to real, practical impacts on the ground. Finally, I am committed to linking our work more clearly with global agendas such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while always grounding these efforts in Arctic realities.

What are some of SDWG’s projects that we should keep an eye on over the next two years?

The beginning of a Chairship is always an exciting time because many new projects are under development in addition to those that have been approved already.

Our endorsed projects right now focus on mental health and economic development, always with an emphasis on making sure Indigenous perspectives are integrated and central. For example, we have one project that is called Supporting Bereaved by Suicide in the Arctic Region in a Loss-Oriented Perspective that is working to enhance culturally safe, accessible and responsive postvention services to those grieving after a suicide. Another project called the Arctic Business Index aims to enhance understanding of both the opportunities and challenges tied to sustainable economic development in the Arctic. We also have several new and exciting projects under development, and as our mandate is very broad, they span from themes such as gender equality and youth empowerment to economic security, and Arctic energy solutions.

I can also say that the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chairship program is largely in line with SDWG’s focus areas, so its implementation is very naturally rooted in our Working Group. As an example, we are committed to increasingly integrating a youth perspective in our work, and this is something I am hoping to achieve, notably by working closely with the Chairship Youth Committee.

We are also lucky to be able to count on the expertise of two Expert Groups, for which we have recently appointed new Chairs, the Social, Economic, and Cultural Expert Group and the Arctic Human Health Expert Group. They have played a key role in some of SDWG’s staple projects in the past, and I am excited to see what they have in store for the rest of the Chairship.

Can you share a memorable Arctic moment?

As someone from Greenland, the Arctic is not something I visit—it is my home. Because of this, I find it difficult to single out one “Arctic moment,” since all of my memories are, by definition, Arctic. To me, the phrase often reflects an outside perspective, whereas for those of us living here, the Arctic is part of our daily lives and identities.

What I can share is that every experience—whether spending time in my hometown, witnessing the adaptability and ingenuity of Indigenous Peoples and Arctic communities, or engaging with others across the region—reminds me why sustainable development in the Arctic is not just an agenda item, but a lived reality that must be supported and incorporated into decision-making at every level.