Context and Challenges
Only One, an international NGO, and its partners were planning a series of Arctic campaigns for 2026. The Arctic is discussed through competing lenses: climate science, geopolitics and security, resource extraction, and the lives of Indigenous peoples. Before launching, the team needed to understand how the region is framed in different countries and which messages would carry risk.
Our Role
Research for Purpose analysed media and social media coverage of the Arctic from January 2024 to late 2025. We focused on the Nordic countries and Canada, major European markets and the institutions in Brussels, and also looked at Russia, China, South Korea and Japan.
The analysis covered four themes: science, security, industry and First Nations. We mapped the stakeholders and influencers shaping each theme. The findings were translated into guidance on messaging, risk assessment, media targeting and the choice of ambassadors and influencers.
Results
Science emerged as the only entry point that works across all countries and platforms. It resonates with curiosity in the Nordic countries and with concern in the larger European markets. Social media favoured wildlife, landscapes and Indigenous perspectives, while traditional media framed the Arctic mainly as a geopolitical battleground. Diplomacy was almost absent from coverage, which leaves room for a campaign to present Arctic security as a matter of cooperation and shared climate risk.
We recommended connecting science with Indigenous leadership and knowledge as the main emotional gateway. We also recommended tailoring messages to each region and people. Campaigns should avoid climate fatalism, token representation of Indigenous communities, and framings that promote extraction as an opportunity. This work is ongoing as the campaigns take shape.