The Arctic is among the world’s regions most affected by ongoing and increasing cultural, socioeconomic, environmental, and climatic changes. In this context, the sustainability of Arctic social–ecological systems has become a point of increased interest and attention among scholars. This Special Issue of Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050) focuses on conceptual and practical approaches, methodologies, and experiences in defining, measuring, and monitoring sustainability in the Arctic regions and communities.

The papers will deal with qualitative and quantitative measurement systems, indicators, observing networks, and other monitoring options devoted to tracing sustainability as both a process and outcome. Monitoring could focus on natural, economic, social, or cultural aspects of social–ecological systems with the aim to assessing the vulnerability, resilience, adaptive capacity, and overall sustainability of these systems. The development of such monitoring frameworks is especially relevant as Arctic communities embark on implementing sustainability-driven projects, including the application of the UN SDGs, the development of climate change adaptation and community resilience strategies, ecosystem stewardship principles, etc. By directing attention to sustainability monitoring, the issue will expand the knowledge base on sustainability and sustainable development in the Arctic, as well as indicators and best practices of sustainable development.

  1. Petrov, A.N.; BurnSilver, S.; Chapin III, F.S.; Fondahl, G.; Graybill, J.K.; Keil, K.; Nilsson, A.E.; Riedlsperger, R.; Schweitzer, P. Arctic Sustainability Research: Past, Present and Future; Taylor & Francis Group Ltd: Oxford, OX14 4RN, UK, 2017.
  2. Chapin III, F.S.; Carpenter, S.R.; Kofinas, G.P.; Folke, C.; Abel, N.; Clark, W.C.; Olsson, P.; Smith, D.M.S.; Walker, B.; Young, O.R.; Berkes, F. Ecosystem stewardship: sustainability strategies for a rapidly changing planet. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2010, 25, 241–249.
  3. Vlasova, T.; Petrov, A.; Volkov, S. Arctic Sustainability Monitoring within the International collaboration on Arctic Observing and Research for Sustainability. Arctic Herald 2017, 20, 124–131.

See here Special Issue Information: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/ArcticSustainability

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors pageSustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2019

Keywords:
Arctic
sustainability
monitoring
indicators
resilience
adaptation

Special Issue Editors:
Prof. Dr. Andrey N Petrov
Arctic, Remote, and Cold Territories, Interdisciplinary Center (ARCTICenter) and Department of Geography, University of Northern Iowa
Dr. Tatiana Vlasova
Institute of Geography, Staromonetniy pereulok 29, Moscow 119017, Russia