Energy and Environment Program

THE SHARED FU T URE : A REPOR T O F T HE AS PEN IN stit U T E COMM issi ON ON AR ctic CL I MA T E CHANGE THE ASPEN INSTITUTE Energy and Environment Program 2011 Energy and Environment Program THE SHARED FU T URE : A REPOR T O F T HE AS PEN IN stit U T E COMM issi ON ON AR ctic CL I MA T E CHANGE k his report, while taking a hard and new look at climate change in the Arctic, does not exhaust the dialogue needed to address many of the important issues raised. Undoubtedly, more discussion beyond this report is warranted. TParticipants in the Aspen Dialogue and Commission on Arctic Climate Change participated as experts in their field and not in their professional capacity or organizational affiliation. As with all policy dialogues in the Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment program, the format followed the Institute’s time-honored approach to intentional, values-based dialogue, and adhered to a strict not-for-attribution rule throughout the duration of the dialogue. The names and affiliations of participants are listed for identification purposes only and do not indicate individual or organizational responsibility for this report or recommendations. This report is issued under the auspices of the Aspen Institute and the members of the Aspen Institute Commission on Arctic Climate Change, with generous support from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Shell Oil Company. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation strives to act as an accelerator of projects and solutions for the environment. It promotes sustainable and equitable management of natural resources and places the individual at the centre of its projects. It encourages the implementation of innovative and ethical solutions in three main areas: climate change, biodiversity and water. www.fpa2.mc The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program provides nonpartisan leadership and a neutral forum for constructive dialogue on complex policy issues in the areas of energy and environmental policy. www.aspeninstitute.org/ee For all inquiries, please contact: The Aspen Institute Suite 700 One Dupont Circle, NW Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 736-5800 Fax: (202) 467-0790 Copyright © 2011 The Aspen Institute Published in the United States of America 2011 by The Aspen Institute All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Table of Contents PART 1: THE SHARED FUTURE PREFACE . I FORWARD BY PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER ................................................................... III The Members of the Aspen Institute Commission on Arctic Climate Change . 1 Commission Vision Statement........................................................................... 2 Commission Principles of Arctic Governance . 3 Commission Recommendations ......................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 9 I. A Conservation and Sustainable Development Plan For The Arctic . 14 II. Ecosystem-Based Management and Marine Spatial Planning . 15 III. The Need For Agreement On Common Standards....................................................... 20 IV. Arctic Networks . 23 V. Call For A Special Diplomatic Conference On The Arctic . 26 VI. The Critical Role And Rights Of Arctic Indigenous Peoples . 27 VII. Collaborating On Arctic Science . 28 VIII. Strengthening The Arctic Council . 31 CONCLUSION: A HOPEFUL FUTURE FOR THE ARCTIC ....................................................... 34 APPENDICES 1. NOTED ARCTIC EXPERTS INVITED TO SELECTED COMMISSION AND WORKING GROUP MEETINGS . 35 2. COMMISSION MEETINGS AND Related EVENTS. 36 ENDNOTES . 37 PART 2: MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING IN THE ARCTIC A technical report of the Aspen Institute Dialogue and Commission on Arctic Climate Change EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 41 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 42 CONTEXT AND PERSPECTIVE . 43 The Need for an Ecosystem-Based Approach to Marine Management in the Arctic ................................... 44 What Is Marine Spatial Planning? . 47 What Are the Benefits of Marine Spatial Planning? . 53 What Are the Outputs of Marine Spatial Planning? . 54 Why Is Stakeholder Participation Critical to Marine Spatial Planning?.............................................. 55 What Are Some Key Principles of Marine Spatial Planning?..................................................... 58 Why Are General Goals and Measurable Objectives for MSP Important? . 61 Why Are Performance Indicators Important?................................................................ 61 Why Are Monitoring and Evaluation Critical? ................................................................ 62 Where is Marine Spatial Planning Currently Underway?........................................................ 64 Current Marine Spatial Planning Activities in the Arctic ........................................................ 65 How Can Marine Spatial Planning in the Arctic Be Advanced? . 76 ENDNOTES . 79 Preface People the world over think of the vast ice-covered polar Arctic as a symbol of our shared natural heritage. The Arctic is a constant reminder of nature’s wild beauty – the world is amazed that people live there and call it home. Our vision of the Arctic, though, is changing. As reported by the National Snow and Ice Data Center on January 5, 2011, “Arctic sea ice extent for December 2010 was the lowest in the satellite record for that month.” The rate of global warming in the Arctic, which is twice as fast as the global mean average, raises new challenges for governing and managing its many human uses in balance with protecting this unusual natural environment. While the loss of sea ice and thawing permafrost over time will likely create new access to natural resources and to shipping routes, further retreat of the ice extent will lead to new challenges (and opportunities) for the coordination and management of the Arctic marine environment by its regional governments. Climate change raises important new questions about ecosystem resilience, adaptation readiness, sustainable development and social change in the Arctic. Just as the Arctic marine environment is not one ecosystem, neither is it one society or one people governed by a single political system. Although climate change and the impacts it will have on the Arctic are a shared global responsibility, much of the Arctic marine environment is governed by sovereign states (and international law), each with its own national priorities, regulatory and management systems, and needs. It is the sovereignty of Arctic governments, nonetheless, that affords the strongest foundation and greatest opportunity for international cooperation and shared responsibility for sustainably protecting the Arctic marine environment. In recognition of the scientific forecast of significant changes in the Arctic caused by global climate change, the Aspen Institute convened a civil society Dialogue and Commission on Arctic Climate Change. The Commission began its deliberations by identifying a set of dialogue principles as the foundation by which governance and sustainable management should proceed in the Arctic marine environment. The Aspen Principles of Arctic Governance (see page 3) set the backdrop for the Commission’s dialogue and the formulation of its recommendations. Due to its composition, the intensity and longevity of its deliberations, and the scope of concerns it addressed, this Aspen effort is distinct. Whereas other Arctic governance projects may have focused on specific questions such as how to improve regulation of certain sectors or activities, or how to strengthen Indigenous peoples’ participation in the Arctic Council, the Aspen process has been focused on the climate adaptation challenges facing the Arctic marine environment and its human communities, as well as the regional and global governance implications of these issues. As these challenges were identified and discussed, the Commission’s working group strived in a dialogue process to develop a shared understanding of the potential consequences of climate change in the Arctic marine environment, and the intensifying pressure of global economic forces anticipated for the region in the future. The working group and invited experts sought to identify strategies and approaches to help conserve the critical biological resources of the Arctic Ocean and to assure sustainable livelihoods of the communities that depend on these resources for their survival. (A full description of Commission-related meetings can be found in Appendix 2). This report presents the Commission’s recommendations, foremost of which is that governance in the Arctic marine environment, which is determined by domestic and international laws and agreements, including the Law of the Sea, should be sustained and strengthen by a new conservation and sustainable development plan using an ecosystem-based management approach. The I THE SHARED FUTURE: ASPEN DIALOGUE AND COMMISSION ON ARCTIC CLIMATE CHANGE Commission believes marine spatial planning provides a workable method or approach to begin implementation of ecosystem- based management. According to the Commission, Arctic governance can and should be strengthened through an inclusive and cooperative international approach that allows greater participation in information gathering and sharing, and decision-making, leading to better informed policy choices and outcomes. The Commission recommends that Arctic governments, in partnership

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