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Polar regions are viewed as distinctly different from other geographic areas and share a unique set of characteristics including:
Meeting these challenges requires strong institutional frameworks that encourage greater co-operation among polar governments, aboriginal peoples, industry and NGOs as no country can address them on their own. In this regard, numerous circumpolar forums and inter-governmental organizations, interest groups and specialized policy groups at the international, regional and national level have formed over the last decade to address these emerging issues. A summary and corresponding links to these organizations is provided below, under the following categories: International
Organizations The Arctic Council The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that provides a mechanism to address the common concerns and challenges faced by the Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic. It was established on September 19th, 1996 in Ottawa, Canada. Members of the Council are: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States of America. Permanent Participants in the Council are the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the Saami Council, the Aleutian International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, and Gwich'in Council International. The Permanent Participants are supported by the Indigenous Peoples Secretariat. There is provision for non-arctic states, inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary organizations and non-governmental organizations to become involved as observers. The main activities of the Council focus on the protection of the Arctic environment and sustainable development as a means of improving the economic, social and cultural well-being of the north. The Arctic Council places emphasizes on infrastructure, including aviation, marine and surface transport and modern telecommunications, as part of the efforts to increase sustainable development in the Arctic, bearing in mind the significant impact climate change may have on infrastructure in the Arctic. The Arctic Council has five working groups: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP), Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR), Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), and Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). The Arctic Council also has three programmes and action plans: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), Arctic Council Action Plan To Eliminate Pollution Of The Arctic (ACAP), and Regional Programme of Action for the protection of the Arctic Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (RPA). European Union's Northern Dimension europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/north_dim The European Union's Northern Dimension covers the Baltic Sea region, Arctic Sea region and North West Russia. The Northern Dimension addresses the specific challenges of these regions and aims to increase cooperation between the EU member states, the EU applicant countries and Russia. The Northern Dimension is implemented within the framework of the Europe Agreements with the Baltic States, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia and the European Economic Area regulations. Areas of interest include: the environment, nuclear safety, energy cooperation, Kaliningrad, infrastructure, business cooperation, Justice and Home Affairs, social development, and others. The Northern Dimension operates through the EU's financial instruments available for the region: Phare, Tacis and Interreg. The Northern Dimension aims to use these financing instruments for projects which provide added value. International Arctic Social Sciences Association IASSA was founded in 1990 in Fairbanks,
Alaska, at a meeting held in conjunction with the 7th Inuit Studies
Conference. The creation of IASSA follows the suggestion, made at the
Conference on Coordination of Research in the Arctic held in Leningrad
in 1988, to establish an international association to represent Arctic
social scientists. International Ice Patrol www.uscg.mil/lantarea/iip/home.html The sinking of the RMS TITANIC on April
15, 1912 aroused public demand for international cooperative action
to deal with the iceberg hazard. This disaster became the prime impetus
for the establishment of the International Ice Patrol (IIP). The IIP
was subsequently formed in 1912 when the thirteen founding nations signed
the Safety of Life at Sea Convention Agreement (SOLAS). The IIP was
tasked with the role of surveying shipping lanes south of 52oN for the
occurrence of icebergs posing a hazard to shipping traffic and making
this information readily available. The mandate of the IIP is to promote safe navigation of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean when the danger of iceberg collision exists. International Polar Foundation The International Polar Foundation (IPF) was set up to educate and communicate on the Polar Regions, and on research in the Polar Regions and elsewhere which contributes to the greater understanding of climate change and related phenomena. IPF is headquartered in Brussels and has local antennas in France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The development of Canadian and US antennae is currently in progress. The IPF seeks to provide a service to the Polar Scientific community, by coordinating communication activities carried out in the context of the International Polar Year. IPF's mission is to communicate and educate on the reality of human-induced climate change through the findings of Polar sciences and thereby convince society to act responsibly now to ensure a sustainable world for future generations. The United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) was established in 1972. UNEP works with the United Nations,
international organizations, national governments, non-governmental
organizations, the private sector and civil society to promote the wise
use and sustainable development of the global environment. WWF - World Wildlife Fund WWF (formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund) is a global organization which acts locally through a network of family offices in over 90 countries. These offices work to stop the accelerating destruction of the natural world. WWF has programs relating to: forests, freshwater, marine, policy, species, and toxics. WWF's Arctic Programme was created in 1992 to promote its activities in the Arctic. The goals of the Arctic Programme are to: Reserve Natural Habitats, Conserve Native Species, Target Sustainable Use, Identify and Reduce Pollution, and Care for Local Needs. Barents Euro Arctic Council (BEAC) The Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) is the body for intergovernmental cooperation in the Barents region. The BEAC was established in 1993 to support and promote regional cooperation in the most northerly parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and northwest Russia. The Barents region is a unique part of Europe, containing approximately five million people in an area which is twice as large as France. The climate is severe, travelling distances are long and the infrastructure is often inadequate. The region is rich in natural resources but its environment is vulnerable. Three indigenous peoples live in the region - the Sami, the Veps and the Nenets. The members of the BEAC are Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and the European Commission. Observers include: Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the USA. The activities of the BEAC have successively developed to include a number of working areas: economic cooperation, nuclear safety issues, the northern sea route, environmental issues, energy rationalisation and economy, youth policy issues, transport planning, health issues, exchange grants, customs cooperation and forestry issues. Circumpolar Conservation Union (CCU) The Circumpolar Conservation Union (CCU), based in Washington D.C., was established in 1993 as a project of the Tides Foundation (now the Tides Center). CCU is dedicated to protecting the ecological and cultural integrity of the Arctic for present and future generations. CCU works to promote understanding and cooperation among Arctic peoples, environmental organizations and other diverse interests, to raise public awareness of and build a global constituency for the Arctic, and to advocate on behalf of environmental protection, sustainability and human rights to achieve a comprehensive legal and policy regime for the Arctic. Their intent is to increase public awareness of critical environmental and human rights issues in the Arctic and develop a broad-based circumpolar constituency for Arctic sustainability. Conference of the Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region The first Parliamentary Conference concerning Arctic cooperation was held in Reykjavik, Iceland in 1993. In 2002 the Fifth Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region was held in Tromsø, Norway. Previous conferences have been held in Canada, Russia, and Finland. The next conference is scheduled for 2004 in Nuuk, Greenland. The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, which is responsible for the work between conferences, started its activities in September 1994. One of the main priorities of the Standing Committee was originally to support the establishment of the Arctic Council. The new organization, representing the eight Arctic states was founded on September 19, 1996. The Committee works actively to promote the work of the Council. The Committee participates in the meetings of the Arctic Council as an observer, and takes part as invited guest in meetings of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) was created in 1992, at a conference of the foreign ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and a member of the European Commission in Copenhagen. In 1995 Iceland joined the CBSS. The CBSS is a regional forum for intergovernmental cooperation, focusing on the need for increased coordination of activities in virtually every field of government, among the Baltic Sea States. Ministerial meetings have been held in the following fields: agriculture; children's affairs; culture, economic affairs, education, energy, finance, health, information technology, interior, justice, labour, social affairs, spatial planning, trade and industry, transport, youth affairs. CBSS meetings at the level of Directors General have been held in the following fields: border control, civil protection, customs, prosecutors-general, tax administration. Indigenous Peoples Secretariat The Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples'
Secretariat, located in Copenhagen, Denmark, was established to facilitate
the involvement of the indigenous peoples within the Arctic Council,
by providing support to the six Indigenous Peoples' Organizations that
hold the status as Permanent Participants, particularly on issues of
environmental protection and sustainable development of the Arctic. The Arctic Council is the first intergovernmental forum that has accredited indigenous peoples' organizations such a status. It is a status that ensures the indigenous peoples full participation in all matters and deliberations of the Arctic Council, and thus goes beyond the traditional "observer status". The work of the IPS is directed by a Governing Board, that endorses the IPS Work Plan. The Governing Board consists at present, besides the Permanent Participants, of the following countries: Denmark, Iceland, and Finland. International Union for Circumpolar Health (IUCH) The International Union for Circumpolar Health (IUCH) is an international non-governmental organization, with members, adhering bodies and affiliates throughout the circumpolar regions. The World Health Organization (WHO), and the Scientific Committee for AntArctic Research are both represented on the Council of IUCH. The IUCH is directed by a Council for the General Assembly and maintains its Office of the Secretariat at the National Institute of Public Health in Denmark. There are currently thirteen Council members. Nordic Council The Nordic Council is a forum for inter-parliamentary co-operation which was formed in 1952. The Council has 87 members, representing the five countries and three autonomous territories. The Council members are national parliament members who are nominated by their respective political parties and elected by the parliaments. The purpose of the Council is to allow Nordic parliamentarians to provide good 'council' to the Nordic governments about changes of benefit to Nordic citizens. Continuous work on policy issues in the Nordic Council is conducted via five committees and four political party groups. Northern Forum The Northern Forum is a non-profit, international organization composed of sub-national or regional governments from ten northern countries, including: Canada, People's Republic of China, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States. The idea of creating an organization of northern regional governments was raised in 1974 by the government of Hokkaido, Japan, during the first of a series of international conferences on northern issues. The Northern Forum was developed from a Northern Regions Conference held in 1990 in Anchorage, Alaska, attended by more than 600 delegates from 10 countries. The Forum was formally established in November 1991. The complex environment and characteristics of the north creates unique challenges for regional Governors and other executives. The Northern Forum brings these leaders together to address common political, environmental and economic issues such as, the environment, sustainable development, society and culture, emergency response, and governance.
Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) As a core project of the World Climate Research Programme, the "Climate and Cryosphere" (CliC) project encourages and promotes research into the cryosphere and its interactions as part of the global climate system. It seeks to focus attention on the most important issues, encourage communication between researchers with common interests in cryospheric and climate science, promote international co-operation, and highlight the importance of this field of science to policy makers, funding agencies, and the general public. CliC also publicises significant findings regarding the role of the cryosphere in climate, and recommends directions for future study. A Scientific Steering Group (SSG) and a number of working panels that advise on specific areas of research coordinate CliC activities. These include a Numerical Experimentation Group (modelling), an Observation Products Panel (in situ and remote-sensing measurements), a Panel on Polar Products from Reanalysis (meteorological analysis), and a Data Management and Information Panel (data storage and distribution). The International CliC Project Office, located in Tromsø, Norway, supports these groups and other CliC activities. DAMOLCES DAMOCLES (Developing Arctic Modeling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies) is an integrated ice-atmosphere-ocean monitoring and forecasting system designed for observing, understanding and quantifying climate changes in the Arctic. DAMOCLES is specifically concerned with the potential for a significantly reduced sea ice cover, and the impacts this might have on the environment and on human activities, both regionally and globally. EuroClim EuroClim was created to develop and validate an advanced system for climate monitoring and prediction for the support of a sustainable development and protection of the environment in Europe. The system will focus on global warming and its consequences. Project partners with national operational responsibilities have committed themselves with assistance from the industrial partners in the consortium to make EuroClim an operational long-term monitoring system if the prototype system is a technical and cost-effective success. International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is a non-governmental organisation whose aim is to encourage and facilitate cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research, in all countries engaged in Arctic research and in all areas of the Arctic region. The IASC member organisations are national science organisations covering all fields of Arctic research. Members of IASC are Canada - Canadian Polar Commission, Denmark - Danish Polar Centre, Germany - The Laptev Sea System, Finland - Arctic Centre, France - L'institut polaire, Italy -National Research Council Polar Network, Norway - Norwegian National Committee on Polar Research, Russia, Sweden - Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, and USA Office of Polar Programs - National Science Foundation. Each national member organisation has a mechanism to provide ongoing contact between its council member and its Arctic science community. IASC draws on this structure to identify scientific priorities, members of working groups, etc. An international science programme planned or recommended by IASC should be of high priority to Arctic or global science. The main activity of IASC is to develop research projects for which circum-Arctic or international cooperation is required. IASC will give priority to multidisciplinary projects relevant to Arctic science issues which require international cooperation. UNEP/GRID-Arendal GRID is a global network of environmental data centres facilitating the generation and dissemination of key environmental geo-referenced and statistical data-sets and information products, focusing on environmental issues and natural resources. GRID centres typically have the ability, expertise and specialized information technology (environmental data management, remote sensing/Geographic Information Systems) to prepare, analyse and present environmental data and information, which are the basis for reliable environmental assessments. GRID-Arendal provides environmental information, communications, and capacity building services for information management and assessment. It was established to strengthen the United Nations through its Environment Programme (UNEP) by making credible, science-based knowledge understandable to the public and to decision-making for sustainable development. Canada Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum
Board Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Canadian International Development Agency Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Canadian Polar Commission Canadian Space Agency Canadian Wildlife Service-Environment
Canada Environment Canada Fisheries and Oceans Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(DFAIT) Geological Survey of Canada Health Canada Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Industry Canada Intergovernmental Affairs National Research Council National Search and Rescue Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board
Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture
and Fisheries Danish Polar Center European Environment Agency (EEA) Ministry of Defence Ministry of the Environment Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Finnish Environment Institute SYKE Finnish Institute of Marine Research Finnish Meteorological Institute Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry of Defence Ministry of the Environment Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Ministry of Transport and Communications
Ministry of Agriculture Ministry for the Environment Ministry of Fisheries Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland Ministry of Health and Social Security
Norwegian National Committee on Polar
Research Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Norwegian Ministry of Environment Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence
Federal Service of Russia on Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of Environment Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples
of the North (RAIPON) Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Russian
Federation Ministry of Natural Resources of the
Russian Federation Ministry of the Russian Federation on Atomic Energy Ministry of Science and Technologies of the Russian Federation
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Ministry of the Environment Ministry of Defence Ministry for Foreign Affairs Swedish Polar Research Secretariat
Arctic Research Consortium of the United
States (ARCUS) Department of Agriculture Department of Defense (Public Affairs) Department of Energy Environmental Protection Agency Office of Oceans Affairs, U.S. Department of State |
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