IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i15p8470-d604000.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impacts, Systemic Risk and National Response Measures Concerning COVID-19—The Island Case Studies of Iceland and Greenland

Author

Listed:
  • David Cook

    (Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Economics, University of Iceland, Gimli, Sæmundargötu 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
    Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Iceland, Gimli, Sæmundargötu 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Lára Jóhannsdóttir

    (Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Iceland, Gimli, Sæmundargötu 2, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

Abstract

The Arctic is a remote region that has become increasingly globalized, yet it remains extremely vulnerable to many risks. The COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges to the region. Using the search, appraisal, synthesis and analysis (SALSA) approach to conduct a meta-synthesis of the academic and grey literature on the impacts of the pandemic, an assessment is conducted of the types of risks that have been presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the scales, and the national response strategies for mitigating the risks. Two case studies are explored: Iceland and Greenland, island nations that exemplify the extremes of the Arctic and reliance on tourism, a sector that was nearly entirely suspended by the pandemic. An evaluative matrix is employed which combines five different scales of risk—nano, micro, meso, macro and cosmic—with a sustainability categorization of impacts. The risks of the pandemic cut across the respective scale and categories, with the potential for macro-scale events (systemic risk) to unfold linked to economic spillover effects driven by the curtailment of tourism and various supply chain delays. Both Iceland and Greenland have exemplified risk mitigation strategies that prioritize health over wealth, very strictly in the case of the latter. Strict border controls and domestic restrictions have enabled Iceland and Greenland to have much lower case and death numbers than most nations. In addition, Iceland has led the way, globally, in terms of testing and accumulating scientific knowledge through genetic sequencing of the virus. The academic contribution of the paper concerns its broadening of understanding concerning systemic risk, which extends beyond financial implications to includes sustainability dimensions. For policymakers and practitioners, the paper highlights successful risk mitigation and science-based measures that will be useful for any nation tackling a future pandemic, regardless of whether they are island states, Arctic nations or another country.

Suggested Citation

  • David Cook & Lára Jóhannsdóttir, 2021. "Impacts, Systemic Risk and National Response Measures Concerning COVID-19—The Island Case Studies of Iceland and Greenland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8470-:d:604000
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/15/8470/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/15/8470/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sanne Vammen Larsen & Eleanor K. Bors & Lára Jóhannsdóttir & Elena Gladun & Daria Gritsenko & Soili Nysten‐Haarala & Svetlana Tulaeva & Todd Sformo, 2019. "A Conceptual Framework of Arctic Economies for Policy‐making, Research, and Practice," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(4), pages 686-696, November.
    2. Malinauskaite, Laura & Cook, David & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Ögmundardóttir, Helga & Roman, Joe, 2019. "Ecosystem services in the Arctic: a thematic review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Andy Sumner & Christopher Hoy & Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez, 2020. "Estimates of the impact of COVID-19 on global poverty," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-43, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Ben Balmford & James D. Annan & Julia C. Hargreaves & Marina Altoè & Ian J. Bateman, 2020. "Cross-Country Comparisons of Covid-19: Policy, Politics and the Price of Life," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 525-551, August.
    5. Cook, David & Fazeli, Reza & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur, 2019. "The need for integrated valuation tools to support decision-making – The case of cultural ecosystem services sourced from geothermal areas," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Megan Scudellari, 2020. "How Iceland hammered COVID with science," Nature, Nature, vol. 587(7835), pages 536-539, November.
    7. Baumöhl, Eduard & Bouri, Elie & Hoang, Thi-Hong-Van & Shahzad, Syed Jawad Hussain & Výrost, Tomáš, 2020. "Increasing systemic risk during the Covid-19 pandemic: A cross-quantilogram analysis of the banking sector," EconStor Preprints 222580, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    8. Gunnarsdottir, I. & Davidsdottir, B. & Worrell, E. & Sigurgeirsdottir, S., 2020. "Review of indicators for sustainable energy development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    9. Rizwan, Muhammad Suhail & Ahmad, Ghufran & Ashraf, Dawood, 2020. "Systemic risk: The impact of COVID-19," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    10. Cook, David & Malinauskaite, Laura & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Ögmundardóttir, Helga, 2021. "Co-production processes underpinning the ecosystem services of glaciers and adaptive management in the era of climate change," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cook, David & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Malinauskaite, Laura, 2023. "The role of ecosystem services in the doughnut economy – The example of whale ecosystem services in Disko Bay, Greenland," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cook, David & Malinauskaite, Laura & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Ögmundardóttir, Helga, 2021. "Co-production processes underpinning the ecosystem services of glaciers and adaptive management in the era of climate change," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    2. Gulati, Rachita & Charles, Vincent & Hassan, M. Kabir & Kumar, Sunil, 2023. "COVID-19 crisis and the efficiency of Indian banks: Have they weathered the storm?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Cook, David & Malinauskaite, Laura & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur, 2022. "Peering into the fire – An exploration of volcanic ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    4. Cook, David & Malinauskaite, Laura & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Ögmundardóttir, Helga, 2022. "Capital assets underpinning economic well-being – The example of whale ecosystem services in Arctic coastal communities," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    5. Merida, Vincent Elijiah & Cook, David & Ögmundarson, Ólafur & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur, 2022. "Ecosystem services and disservices of meat and dairy production: A systematic literature review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. David Cook & Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir & Ingunn Gunnarsdóttir, 2022. "A Conceptual Exploration of How the Pursuit of Sustainable Energy Development Is Implicit in the Genuine Progress Indicator," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    7. Gutiérrez-Romero, Roxana & Ahamed, Mostak, 2021. "COVID-19 response needs to broaden financial inclusion to curb the rise in poverty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    8. Malerba, Daniele, 2022. "Just transitions: A review of how to decarbonise energy systems while addressing poverty and inequality reduction," IDOS Discussion Papers 6/2022, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    9. de Palma, André & Vosough, Shaghayegh & Liao, Feixiong, 2022. "An overview of effects of COVID-19 on mobility and lifestyle: 18 months since the outbreak," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 372-397.
    10. Brandily, Paul & Brébion, Clément & Briole, Simon & Khoury, Laura, 2021. "A poorly understood disease? The impact of COVID-19 on the income gradient in mortality over the course of the pandemic," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    11. Brada, Josef C. & Gajewski, Paweł & Kutan, Ali M., 2021. "Economic resiliency and recovery, lessons from the financial crisis for the COVID-19 pandemic: A regional perspective from Central and Eastern Europe," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    12. Muller, Seán M., 2021. "The dangers of performative scientism as the alternative to anti-scientific policymaking: A critical, preliminary assessment of South Africa’s Covid-19 response and its consequences," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    13. Brum, Matias & De Rosa, Mauricio, 2021. "Too little but not too late: nowcasting poverty and cash transfers’ incidence during COVID-19’s crisis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    14. David Klenert & Franziska Funke & Linus Mattauch & Brian O’Callaghan, 2020. "Five Lessons from COVID-19 for Advancing Climate Change Mitigation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 751-778, August.
    15. Anubhab Gupta & Heng Zhu & Miki Khanh Doan & Aleksandr Michuda & Binoy Majumder, 2021. "Economic Impacts of the COVID−19 Lockdown in a Remittance‐Dependent Region," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(2), pages 466-485, March.
    16. Naci Akdemir & Serkan Yenal, 2021. "How Phishers Exploit the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Content Analysis of COVID-19 Themed Phishing Emails," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    17. Quibria, M.G., 2020. "Poverty and Policy in the Developing World: Before and After the Pandemic," MPRA Paper 104240, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Oct 2020.
    18. Matías Brum & Mauricio de Rosa, 2020. "Too little but not too late. Nowcasting poverty and cash transfers' incidence in Uruguay during COVID-19's crisis," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 20-09, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    19. Alkire, Sabina & Nogales, Ricardo & Quinn, Natalie Naïri & Suppa, Nicolai, 2021. "Global multidimensional poverty and COVID-19: A decade of progress at risk?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    20. Hammond, James & Siegal, Kim & Milner, Daniel & Elimu, Emmanuel & Vail, Taylor & Cathala, Paul & Gatera, Arsene & Karim, Azfar & Lee, Ja-Eun & Douxchamps, Sabine & Tu, Mai Thanh & Ouma, Emily & Lukuyu, 2022. "Perceived effects of COVID-19 restrictions on smallholder farmers: Evidence from seven lower- and middle-income countries," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8470-:d:604000. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.