The Arctic Council – a New Era of Action?
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MAGAZINE Heeding Indigenous voices 11 Singapore: arctic newcomer 13 No. 1 2013 THE CIRCLE Global science 17 THE ARCTIC COUNCIL – A NEW ERA OF ACTION? PUBLISHED BY THE WWF GLOBAL ARCTIC PROGRAMME TheCircle0113.indd 1 29.04.13 16.26 THE CIRCLE 4.2012 THE ARCTIC COUNCIL – A NEW ERA OF ACTION? Contents EDITORIAL Coming full circle 3 IN BRIEF 4 INTERVIEW CARL BILDT Staying the course 6 LEONA AGLUKKAQ An important milestone for Canada – and the Arctic 8 RODION SULYANDZIGA Full participation requires full support 10 ØYVIND RAVNA Heeding their voices 11 STEWART Watters, AKI TONAMI Singapore: The arctic newcomer 13 MARTIN BREUM Leaving the public out 16 DAVID HIK Arctic science is global science 17 MIKAEL ANZÉN Sustainable development 18 commons ERICA ROSENTHAL, MARTIN WILLIAMS Time for leadership on black carbon 21 SARA OLSVIG Arctic development by the Peoples of the Arctic 23 ADELE AIROLDI Time to boldly go 25 Flickr/creative BILL EICHBAUM Transparent stewards 26 García, THE PICTURE 28 Ignacio Photo: The Circle is published quar- Publisher: Editor in Chief: Clive Tesar, COVER: Sweden’s Minister for Foreign terly by the WWF Global Arctic WWF Global Arctic Programme [email protected] Affairs, Carl Bildt will hand over the Programme. Reproduction and 30 Metcalfe Street Editor: Becky Rynor, [email protected] Chair to Canada’s Minister for the Arctic quotation with appropriate credit Suite 400 Leona Aglukkaq in May, 2013. are encouraged. Articles by non- Ottawa ON K1P 5L4 Design and production: affiliated sources do not neces- Canada Film & Form/Ketill Berger, ABOVE: Kiruna will host the Arctic sarily reflect the views or policies Tel: +1 613-232-8706 [email protected] Council Ministerial in May 2013. of WWF. Send change of address Fax: +1 613-232-4181 and subscription queries to the Printed by St. Joseph Communications address on the right. We reserve Internet: www.panda.org/arctic the right to edit letters for publica- Thank you tion, and assume no responsibil- ISSN 2073-980X = The Circle ity for unsolicited material. for your interest in The Date of publication: Circle. Did you know many of our April, 2013. subscribers have moved to an e-ver- sion? To receive an electronic copy in your email instead of a paper copy, please write to us 2 The Circle 1.2013 at [email protected] and help us reduce our costs and footprint. TheCircle0113.indd 2 29.04.13 16.26 THE CIRCLE 4.2012 EDITORIAL Coming full circle THE ARCTIC COUNCIL MINISTERIAL meeting in May 2013 with existing or pending Observer status at the Council marks the completion of the first full circle of chairman- have strong Arctic science programs and should contrib- ship since the Council was established in 1996. This next ute to the Arctic Council agenda. Informed decisions will cycle will be a time to look at this regional process, the require integration of knowledge from different scientific new challenges and new realities the Arctic faces. This disciplines with full inclusion of traditional knowledge. issue of The Circle explores some of these issues. Authors Several non-Arctic states and the EU are seeking touch on the readiness of Arctic nations to use the Coun- Observer status at the Arctic Council. The council has long cil to provide environmental stewardship for this polar deliberated over some of these applications. Now it is time region, for the benefit of the people both locally and glo- for decisions to include these applicants, or explain how bally who will be affected by the council’s successes or the Arctic could be better stewarded without them. failures. Climate change continues to be the major driving force The Arctic Council enters its second cycle strengthened of changes in the Arctic and the main threat. Scientific through the establishment of a permanent Secretariat reports show black carbon is the second largest human and the new initiative of brokering legally binding deci- emission after carbon dioxide forcing climate change. sions. This may help clear the backlog of policy recom- While Arctic nations can point the finger mendations flowing from the Council’s excellent scientific at global drivers of climate change, they assessments and reports from recent years. This strength- must also act to mitigate the coming ening has also raised public expec- change by developing tations for better transparency and THIS NEXT CYCLE WILL BE A black carbon emis- accountability of Council proc- sions inventories, esses and decisions. TIME TO LOOK at THIS RE- tracking regional The outgoing Swedish chair- trends and identify- manship took the lead in develop- GIONAL PROCESS, THE NEW ing mitigation oppor- ALEXANDER ing a Council vision for the next tunities. CHALLENGES AND NEW RE- ShestaKOV is the 10-20 years. The changing climate, The Swedish director of the WWF protection of the environment, ALITIES THE ARCTIC FACES chairmanship led Global arctic Pro- sustainable conditions for resi- processes to make gramme, based in dents and commercial development as well as a strength- the Arctic Council a platform for interna- Ottawa, Canada. His ened Arctic Council are all vital issues for the future of tional cooperation on Arctic best business background includes the Arctic. The incoming Canadian chair stresses human practices and to promote corporate social working for a number dimensions, strengthening northern communities and responsibility. This initiative requires of NGOs, government balancing development with respect for fragile Arctic eco- more engagement of all relevant stake- and industry, giving him systems and ecosystem services will be a priority for the holders among the Arctic business com- a broad understanding coming two years. munity with businesses displaying leader- of conservation issues. The Arctic Council continues to be a unique process ship instead of waiting for government to He has a law degree which incorporates Indigenous Peoples. Their role should convene the process. and a PhD focused on be strengthened through the full engagement of Per- WWF’s vision for the future of the environmental manage- manent Participants in decision-making processes and Arctic Council, as articulated in the final ment and conservation. activities of the Arctic. This requires not just opening the article in this edition, highlights the role doors, but ensuring Permanent Participant organizations of Arctic governments collaborating to representing Indigenous Peoples have the capacity and implement Council decisions. A Council independence to operate as full partners. that informs, brokers and assists governments to act on Enhanced decision-making capacity relies on a robust issues of common priority and concern would be a valu- knowledge base for risk management and policy-making. able contribution in helping governments fulfill their The global nature of the challenges the Arctic faces stewardship responsibilities for this rapidly changing part requires global science. A number of non-Arctic nations of our planet. The Circle 1.2013 3 TheCircle0113.indd 3 29.04.13 16.26 IN BRIEF The Kulluk grounded on Sitkalidak Island, Alaska. Participants in polar bear workshop,Tromsø, Norway. Safer bears, safer communities AS TEMperatURES warm and sea ice melts, polar bears will Photo: DoD, Petty Officer 2nd Class Zachary Painter, U.S. Coast Guard/Released Photo: DoD, Petty Officer 2nd Class Zachary Painter, spend more time on land and in closer proximity to Kulluk grounding shows Shell isn’t ready for Arctic humans, according to experts from Russia, Norway, Green- FEDERAL AND state agency industry personnel, rescue Last year U.S. Deputy land, Canada and Alaska who officials and Shell Oil rep- crews, coastal residents, Assistant Secretary of the met in Tromsø in February. resentatives hastily con- rich wildlife populations Interior David Hayes said WWF polar bear expert Geoff vened in Anchorage in the and productive fisheries “any approved (offshore York was one of the organ- new year to examine the that feed millions of people oil development) activities izers of a workshop on how series of events surround- around the world,” says will be held to the highest to lessen polar bear/human ing the latest incident Margaret Williams, manag- environmental protection conflict. He says educat- plaguing the oil company’s ing director of WWF’s U.S. standards.” ing humans going into bear Arctic drilling efforts. Arctic field program. “In our book, high country is key. On Dec. 31, Shell’s drill The response effort – standards include hav- “Bears in general are rig Kulluk grounded on the largest ever launched ing failsafe towing and predictable in their behav- Sitkalidak Island after in Alaska, according to the handling vessels, and a iour and they give cues to repeated failures to tow it state’s Department of Envi- drill ship that has not us. It’s whether we know in rough seas from Dutch ronmental Conservation – been fined for violations, how to read those cues,” Harbor to Seattle. The Kul- was stymied by stormy seas as Shell’s equipment has he told BBC News. “That luk was one of two drill- and gale force winds. been,” Williams says. “The being said, there’s always ing vessels deployed for a The inability to quickly administration’s green the one in 1,000 animals short fall season of drilling and adequately respond light to allow Shell to con- that is less predictable or is in Alaska’s Chukchi and to emergencies because duct initial exploratory in a situation that becomes Beaufort seas. of extreme environmental activities last year sets unpredictable with bears, “This drama at sea shows conditions is called the a poor precedent in the but there are things that we how even so-called routine “response gap,” something administration’s so-called can clearly teach about bear operations such as moving WWF has highlighted as the commitment to the ‘high- behaviour and proper human drilling rigs can threaten barrier to safe offshore oil est standards’.