12 October 2016
Senior Arctic Officials Agree on Strategic Plan
UN Photo/Mark Garten
story highlights

Senior officials from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the US and six indigenous Permanent Participant organizations approved an updated strategic plan and a new communications strategy at the Senior Arctic Officials' Council meeting.

The meeting also recognized the Council's 20th anniversary.

Arctic Council6 October 2016: Senior officials from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the US and six indigenous Permanent Participant organizations approved an updated strategic plan and a new communications strategy at the Senior Arctic Officials’ Council meeting. The meeting also recognized the Council’s 20th anniversary.

The meeting convened in Portland, Maine, the US, from 5-6 October. The US currently serves as the two-year chair of the Council and is focusing on climate change, economic and living conditions and Arctic Ocean safety, security and stewardship. Finland, which will assume the chairmanship, presented its proposed programme on climate change and sustainable development.

Three Task Forces presented updates on their work related to advancing cooperation on Arctic marine issues, enhancing cross-border scientific cooperation and surveying telecommunications infrastructure in the Arctic. Six Working Groups shared progress on their work to: address short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including measures to reduce black carbon emissions and promote renewable energy investments; improve international cooperation and preparedness on marine oil pollution and response in the Arctic; develop a tool to capture Arctic conditions and shipping-related activities, which will allow for trend and risk analysis for the Arctic marine environment; and improve the knowledge base for sustainable development policy-making, including an overview of the Arctic economy, socio-economic conditions and environmental issues.

Delegates also discussed initiatives related to black carbon, methane mitigation and Arctic resilience. They further considered ways to strengthen the Council, including through building the capacity of the indigenous Permanent Participant organizations.

“The effects of climate change are revealing themselves faster in the Arctic than anywhere else in the world, so the Council’s groundbreaking work to advance knowledge and prepare for the future is critical to helping Arctic communities build resilience in the face of these rapid changes,” said Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, Ambassador David Balton, at the meeting’s conclusion.

The Council holds Senior Arctic Officials’ meetings every six months and Ministerial meetings every two years. The Council’s next meeting will take place in Juneau, Alaska, from 8-9 March 2017. [Arctic Council Press Release on Meeting’s Conclusions] [Arctic Council Press Release Announcing Meeting] [Meeting Website]

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