Ten years after the establishment of the Arctic Council, it is now Norway’s turn to take up the baton. Climate change and sustainable use of the natural resources in the High North will be priority issues for the Norwegian chairmanship.
19/02/2008 :: The Arctic Council is made up of the eight Arctic states: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the USA. In addition, the indigenous peoples are represented. This regional organisation is a forum for cooperation on a whole range of sustainable development issues, from the economy and the environment to meeting the social needs of people living in the north.
Work to strengthen international cooperation on issues related to global climate change will be a main concern for Norway. The Arctic is experiencing faster and greater climate change than any other area on earth. The changes in the Arctic climate make it clear that reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases is a matter of urgency. One of the goals of the Norwegian chairmanship is to make the Arctic a leading area in reducing greenhouse gases.
Sustainable use of natural resources will be another area of high priority for the Norwegian chairmanship. The High North and the Arctic possess enormous natural resources, including hydrocarbons and fish, and many interested parties are beginning to look to the north. Norway has long experience of sustainable resource management in the north, and all future activity will be based on the Integrated Management Plan for the Barents Sea and the sea areas off Lofoten. The idea is that all human activity, such as fishing, transport and oil and gas production, must be managed in such a way that ecosystems are not harmed.
First Denmark and then Sweden will follow Norway as chair of the Council. The three countries have agreed to coordinate their programmes for the 2006-2012 period.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs