AUTHORS Pavel Tkach and Adam Stepien AFFILIATIONS Arctic Centre University of Lapland Arctic PASSION project 1. The state of data-driven decision-making and planning in the region. 2. Community-based monitoring, local experience and traditional knowledge in the decision-making and planning. 3. National, interregional and international administrative and scientific cooperation in the decision-making and planning. 4. Knowledge gaps and vision to the future. 5. Future of cooperation of scientists and decision. Data-driven Subnational Decision- making in the Arctic: towards identifying the key issues. Arctic PASSION Research Poster, based on ULAP Background paper "Data-driven Subnational Decision-making in the Arctic: Towards identifying the key issues" Click to read: loader.aspx (arcticcentre.org) 01. Arctic PASSION project Arctic PASSION (Pan-Arctic Observing System of Systems: Implementing Observations for Societal Needs), the project of which this policy paper and related workshop are part, contributes to addressing the remaining challenges while strengthening the sustainability of the earlier developments. It is a Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Union and bringing together 35 institutions from across Europe and around the circumpolar North, led by Alfred Wegener Institute. The project is to respond to the demand for faster access to observational data and services that are increasingly more reliable and diverse, and by that, to facilitate unrestricted access to the latest scientific observations. The goal is to enhance monitoring of ongoing environmental changes, reduce uncertainty in predicting future system changes, support risk assessment, inform and guide mitigation and adaptation measures and support sustainable development in the Arctic and beyond. The core principle of the project is to involve Indigenous Peoples, local populations, decision-makers and a broad range of Arctic stakeholders in the co-creation of useful services. In addition, the project includes a number of pilot services that are potentially relevant for subnational decision-making, including, among others, a permafrost service, local atmospheric pollution forecast service, integrated fire risk management, noise pollution and impacts on marine living resources, and lake ice service. See more at https://arcticpassion.eu/ • help to foster the outputs of the Arctic Science Ministerial Meetings (the meetings of Arctic and Arctic- interested ministers of science and relevant stakeholders), particularly regarding sustained funding for Arctic observations; • consult with and inform Arctic policymakers and Indigenous People through dialogue within the Arctic Council, its working groups and Permanent Participants; • maintain a close connection with the relevant European Union institutions; • provide decision-making support on regional and local levels, through consultations with stakeholders. 03. Methodology The current background paper is a descriptive and conclusive report based on interviews with policymakers, science experts affiliated with governing authorities at national and subnational levels in the Arctic states, and scientists working in close cooperation with authorities. Due to imposed operation limitations, the University of Lapland team carried out interviews with experts from every Arctic state, except the Russian Federation. The structure of the interview has been divided into the following sections: 04. Interviews Preliminary interviews were conducted with experts and officials from the following bodies: • Regional Council of Lapland, Finland • Lapland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, Finland • Finnish Environment Institute, Liitteri Portal • Troms and Finnmark County, Norway • Municipality of Tromsø, Norway • The Government of Yukon, Canada • The Government of Northwest Territories, Canada • Alaska Centre for Climate Assessment and Policy, USA • Ministry for Agriculture, Self-Sufficiency, Energy and En