Integrating systems approach and participatory research in ocean and Arctic governance

The Arctic region presents a unique intersection of sustainability and governance challenges, where climate change accelerates environmental transformations and reshapes political, economic, and social dynamics. An inclusive approach to Arctic governance requires integrating diverse knowledge systems, enabling meaningful stakeholder participation in shaping sustainable futures. This article aims to address the research gap that exists in Arctic and ocean governance, given participatory research as a methodological approach within the context of systems thinking. In so doing, it relies on the International Science Council’s (ISC) interpretation of ‘the right to participate in and benefit from science’ together with its 2019-2021 and 2022-2024 Action Plans. Based on those documents and other existing and openly available literature on systems approach discourse in research and particularly in research methodology, we argue that in the context of this paper, Arctic Indigenous and local communities not only have the right to participate in the process of research and scientific activities in the Arctic and its surrounding ocean, but also have the right to particularly participate in the research aimed to be utilized at governance levels of that region through law and policy making. In the first part, our study focuses on systems approach to ocean literacy in Arctic Governance observing how such an approach transcends linear, siloed knowledge frameworks, embracing interconnectedness, feedback loops, and persistent and emergent components of complex systems. In the second part the study analyzes the application of systems approach within the realm of law and ocean literacy, through the Ocean Incubator Network (OIN) project. Ocean literacy has evolved from its initial focus on education to a broader societal approach, catalyzing public understanding of the ocean’s relevance for a sustainable future. We conclude by observing how the methodologies and insights gained from OIN can inform Arctic governance by demonstrating the effectiveness of intersecting systems approach and participatory research. We argue that collaborative networks that include individuals, communities, and decision-makers can ensure equitable participation and the co-creation of knowledge that per se has the potential to empower active engagement in decision-making processes.