The oft evoked image of the exceptional Arctic is of “pristine”, sparsely populated, vast snow whiteness dominated by indigenous communities spread out over long distances of frozen tundra. Such evocations lose sight of the everyday lived realities of Arctic residents and municipalities who govern the urban spaces therein. The Arctic is industrial and urbanized, and while many argue that the Arctic is the Earth’s canary in the proverbial coal mine with regards to climate change, and internationally, that the Arctic is exceptionally a place of low tension, it is however a space that boasts cities that require sophisticated governance and management as they deal with climate change and global economic transitions. Seen in this context, I argue that the urban and rapidly urbanizing Arctic is no exception from cities in the south, whether it is the Arctic’s southern capitals, or the global south where climate change and globalization are also extant.
By examining the urban sustainability plans of cities in- and outside of the Arctic, comparing policy documents, and examining interviews and media of municipal workers and mayors, we can conclude that when we look at the city level in the Arctic, their governance needs are no different from cities much further south, whether in Europe, North America, and even Australasia. Arguing for an Arctic exceptionalism in the governance of Arctic cities does a disservice to municipalities that are looking for models of how to create and promote urban sustainability whether Arctic or non-Arctic, and not least to people who live in cities.
