ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the role of transnational knowledge networks and epistemic communities between academia, business, civil society and government for adapting global Arctic shipping governance to both environmental and social changes at the global level. There is considerable popular and analytical interest in Arctic shipping potential especially along the Northern Sea Route. This interest cuts across Arctic and non-Arctic state and non-state actors, who have differing access to Arctic governance institutions as the Arctic Council. This research on the role of transnational knowledge networks and epistemic communities supplements the extensive legal analysis. Using the Northern Sea Route is an example of problems of international policy coordination between a range of public and private actors. There are significant questions of complexity and uncertainty surrounding Arctic shipping which threaten to impede use of the Northern Sea Route in particular. Law is the basic framework to mitigate complexity and uncertainty. Transnational knowledge networks and epistemic communities further mitigates complexity and uncertainty within the framework of law for international policy coordination. This research introduces a number of transnational knowledge networks and epistemic communities around Arctic shipping and discuss their contribution to adaptive global Arctic shipping governance by mitigating complexity and uncertainty.
