The ability to see the Arctic Ocean from one's window should not be the criteria for deciding its future.
Today (March 29), foreign ministers of the five nations bordering the Arctic Ocean (Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States) are meeting behind closed doors in Quebec. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the exploitation of resources, (primarily fossil fuel and fisheries) which have become increasingly accessible with the melting of the Arctic sea ice. This body has no official status, has invited no independent observers and has not included any of the indigenous groups or civil society who depend on the Arctic Ocean or work on its unique issues. Maybe next year they'll meet to divvy up the moon?
It was bound to happen. Until very recently these waters were protected by thick shelves of sea ice. Over the past decade however, climate change has caused warming of such a scale that the sea ice has begun to melt. The natural resources that lie beneath are now open to industrial exploitation on a scale previously unimaginable. There is a whole lot of quick money to be made with oil and gas exploration and industrial fishing.
There is also a great amount of damage that will result if these waters are polluted or otherwise destroyed.
The survival of the communities living in the Arctic Ocean region depends on steady supplies of food and sea ice, both of which are already threatened by climate change (the Arctic and Antarctic are warming faster than the rest of the globe and are under increased stress) and would certainly suffer from increased industrial fishing or oil and gas exploration. Opened to quick, unsustainable exploitation, the largely unmapped and vulnerable marine ecosystem currently shielded by the sea ice could disappear all too fast.
Exploring for more fossil fuels will only worsen the situation. (It is a terrible irony that the very climate-changing fossil fuels that have already placed the Arctic Ocean region in jeopardy are one of the major topics of this closed-door meeting. Once again, leaders are putting short-term profit for the few ahead of the health and safety of the planet.)
Under international law, no country owns the North Pole or the Arctic Ocean surrounding it. While the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) grants the five countries meeting today an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles adjacent to their coasts, it also calls for states who share semi-enclosed ocean bodies, like the Arctic Ocean, to cooperate to ensure sufficient environmental protection.
The Arctic Ocean plays a critical role in maintaining life on Earth by regulating climate and weather cycles. What happens in the waters up there affects every person living on Earth. The Arctic is also culturally significant to many, many people around the world as an icon of nature. Its snow covered lands and icy waters are some of the purest examples of true wilderness left on this planet. The Arctic has been home to indigenous peoples for millennia. It is our responsibility as citizens who care about our planet to ensure its future and its astounding array of wildlife.
Greenpeace believes that the ability to see the arctic from one's window is not enough of a criteria for deciding its future. There needs to be a transparent, comprehensive and precautionary governance system for the Arctic Ocean, along the lines of what has been established for Antarctica. All further meetings to decide the fate of the Arctic should be held under the aegis of the Arctic Council, the United Nations or other global and transparent bodies; not by five foreign ministers meeting behind closed doors.
In the meantime, a moratorium on all industrial activities in the part of the Arctic Ocean that has historically been covered by sea ice is necessary to avoid destruction of the unknown environmental resources. (This moratorium would not apply to traditional subsistence activities such as fishing or sealing which have minimal impact on the ecosystem). For more information about Greenpeace's ongoing campaign to protect the Arctic, avert the climate crisis and defend our oceans visit www.greenpeace.org/polar-seas.
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“We very much value the important role Northern governments, Arctic indigenous organizations and Northerners play in shaping the Arctic region,” said Minister Cannon. “Canada has been and continues to be a strong supporter of the unique role of Permanent Participant organizations in the Arctic Council.”
My Conclusions after gathering information:
Canada has not excluded any nation or “stakeholder” from this meeting. There are clearly differences in issues and discussions. For example, Search & Rescue…this would be handled obviously by the Coastal Nations – not Finland, Iceland or Sweden.
The Permanent Participants and Territorial Government Representatives are members of Canada’s Arctic Council Advisory Committee.
As stated above, the Government of Canada meets regularly with these members and also provides funding for their participation.
Canada has acted responsibly.
Canada’s Arctic Youth Delegates
Canada’s Arctic Council Advisory Committee is committed to young people learning about and participating in the Council’s work. To that end, the Council has selected three youth delegates to attend Arctic Council meetings on a rotating basis. They have chosen youth for their interest in learning about wider circumpolar issues and sharing Arctic perspectives with their community, region, and beyond.
The Youth Delegates engage with young Northerners and are an instrumental voice in spreading the work of the Arctic Council.
Pre-Mtg with Partners from Canada’s Arctic Council Advisory Committee
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today met partners from Canada’s Arctic Council Advisory Committee, in the lead-up to the Arctic Ocean Foreign Ministers Meeting scheduled for March 29.
“I had very productive discussions with territorial government and Arctic indigenous representatives,” said Minister Cannon. “It was an opportunity to review a range of international Arctic issues, and will contribute to discussions at the upcoming Arctic Ocean Foreign Ministers Meeting, and to discussions on broader Arctic foreign policy issues.”
Government of Canada officials meet regularly, as they did today, with Permanent Participant and territorial government representatives through Canada’s Arctic Council Advisory Committee to develop Canadian positions for the Arctic Council and discuss issues of common interest.
A unique feature of the Arctic Council is the involvement of six international Indigenous peoples organizations as Permanent Participants: the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), the Saami Council, the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) (In Russian only), the Aleut International Association (AIA), the Arctic Athabascan Council (AAC) and the Gwich’in Council International (GCI).
You are putting forward a view without knowing all the facts. There is certainly a hidden agenda behind the behavour of Hillary Clinton - and the US. I will post another article next.tic Council Advisory Committee
THE ARCTIC COUNCIL is comprised of the eight arctic States: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, The Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States.
Following taken from Foreign Affairs Website of the Government of Canada – very interesting reading. I hope you will take a few minutes to read as it is quite informative.
HISTORY OF THE ARCTIC COUNCIL
The Arctic Council, a Canadian initiative, continues to be the leading multilateral forum through which we advance our Arctic foreign policy and promote Canadian interests. The Arctic Council is a scientific, consensus-based, high level intergovernmental forum that works to promote the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development in the Arctic region.
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The Council has successfully developed a common agenda among Arctic states and Indigenous Permanent Participants, which serves as a foundation for strong, responsible and cooperative governance of the region.
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