Most people have probably never heard or the International Arctic Council, but it is a very important forum for promoting intergovernmental cooperation, coordination, and interaction between the eight Arctic nations, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants.
By all working together, the various countries and groups can focus on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. Formed 20 years ago, the council meets once every two years, and this year, their meeting was held in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 in response to the Ottawa Declaration. The member states include Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States.
Additionally, six organizations representing Arctic indigenous peoples have status as Permanent Participants. These groups include the Aleut International Association, the Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich’in Council International, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, and the Saami Council.
Active Working Groups on the Arctic Council
Along with the above permanent members, observer status is open to non-member states and organizations, primarily as working groups. There are six full-time working groups that assess and keep track of everything involving the Arctic environment, including:
1. The Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP) This group works to strengthen and support actions on reducing emissions and mitigating the release of chemical pollutants.
2. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) AMAP monitors Arctic environment, ecosystems and human populations, providing scientific support and advice in tackling pollution and the effects of climate change.
3. The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF) CAFF’s responsibilities include the conservation of the Arctic’s biodiversity and the sustainability of those resources.
4. The Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Working Group (EPPR) Based on the name of this group, you can probably guess as to its importance today, especially with the opening of the Northwest Passage to large ships. The chance of accidental pollution has greatly increased.
5. The Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group PAME focuses all its resources and activities on the protection and sustainability of Arctic marine environment.
6. The Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) Basically, this group works to ensure sustainable development in the Arctic as well as improving the conditions of Arctic communities.
Why is this new agreement so important?
The legally-binding document will ease the restrictive regulations that have hindered researchers and scientists who work in the Arctic environment. Less red tape will make data collection, the movement of scientists, scientific equipment and, importantly, data sharing, across international borders easier.
Scientists will now be allowed to have greater access to governmental facilities, including ice-breaking ships, terrestrial, coastal, atmospheric and marine areas for their field work. “It will break through the bureaucratic logjams that one finds when trying to work in the Arctic,” says Evan Bloom, director of the US State Department’s office of ocean and polar affairs.
The agreement is a breath of fresh air in our relationship with Russia, and it is particularly nice to know that the agreement was drawn up by the U.S. and Russia working together. We could say this is one time where science proved to be more important than the politics.
