The set of environmental- and sustainability-related issues has been selected based on their beneficial and/or adverse influences on the socio-economics, societal well-being, and ecosystem productivity for the nations and people of the North Atlantic-Arctic region, both at present and in the future. Advances in natural and social sciences have the potential for providing research-based evidence about these issues, improved predictions and longer-term projections. Planning and decision-making on short-to-long term governance and infrastructure to achieve sustainable development will be better informed.A system level approach would be beneficial where interactions and interdependencies need to be considered in a holistic manner.

1. The increasing occurrence of extreme events such as heat waves and cold spells, droughts, wildfires, flooding and intensifying storms and hurricanes.
2. The changes in weather and climate on landscapes, lifestyles and environmentally-dependent economic sectors including tourism, recreation and small business.
3. The co-design of sustainable management of shifting marine resources, fisheries, ecosystems, aquaculture and traditional and industrial harvests.
4. The concerns for human health resulting from new and spreading incidence of infectious diseases, contamination, toxic algal blooms, and the disturbance of natural systems.
5. The consequences of changing marine trade and transport on infrastructure and communities, including culture and practices of the local and indigenous peoples.
6. The ramifications of accelerating sea-level rise for coastal regions on ecosystems, the built-environment, and society.
7. The implications of the changing climate on national to human security including indirect effects such as changing demographics and environmental refugees.
8. The necessity for increasing renewable energy from wind, solar, waves, and tides to reduce dependency on carbon-based fossil fuels.
9. The importance of sustainable use of and demand for natural resources requires adapting to impacts of changing climate.
10. The innovation of co-designed strategies, capabilities and governance, that builds capacity and effective decision-making in the face of increasingly rapid change.