Working to Protect the Arctic
I just finished the first day of meetings at the Arctic Council in Copenhagen. The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental bodies of eight Arctic nations and six “permanent participants” who represent indigenous peoples around the Arctic. I am participating as an observer.
I am struck by the dedication and commitment of everyone in the room. Many people have been coming to these meetings for years, sharing their expertise through the working groups of the Council. Walt Parker, one of our board members, has participated since the founding of the Arctic Council. He’s now 84 and continues to participate year after year. This year he brought his expertise to the Arctic Council’s working group on Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response, talking about everything from oil spill response to search and rescue operations.
The Arctic Council is one of the only international bodies that truly prioritizes protection and sustainable development within its work. I especially appreciate the role of indigenous peoples, who have a seat at the table and directly voice their concerns about their homeland — the Arctic — to Arctic nations. I am also impressed by many of the comments from government officials from around the Arctic. They have clearly heard the concern about the Arctic’s future.
Of course, there is bureaucracy. This is an intergovernmental body, after wall. Some of the discussion tends to devolve into minutiae of procedure, forgetting the overwhelming importance of taking swift action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect the Arctic. The working groups of the Arctic Council — which include government officials, permanent participants, observers, and technical experts — can play a particularly important role moving policies forward. We just have to remember to move fast!
Tags: Alaska, Arctic, Arctic Council, Bering Sea, Coalitions, Global Warming
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