Sweden's strategy for the Arctic region Cover image Sarek National Park. Photo: Anders Ekholm/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se D Photo: Kristian Pohl/Government Offices of Sweden Sweden is an Arctic country. becoming ever more necessary, especially in the climate and environmental area. We have a particular interest and The EU is an important Arctic partner, responsibility in promoting peaceful, and Sweden welcomes stronger EU stable and sustainable development in the engagement in the region. Arctic. Swedish engagement in the Arctic has for The starting point for the new Swedish a long time involved the Government, the strategy for the Arctic region is an Arctic Riksdag and government agencies, as well in change. The strategy underscores the as regional and local authorities, importance of well-functioning indigenous peoples' organisations, international cooperation in the Arctic to universities, companies and other deal with the challenges facing the region. stakeholders in the Arctic region of The importance of respect for Sweden. international law is emphasised. People, peace and the climate are at the centre of A prosperous Arctic region contributes to Sweden's Arctic policy. our country's security and is therefore an important part of the Government's Changes in the Arctic have led to foreign policy. increased global interest in the region. The Arctic Council is the central forum for cooperation in the Arctic, and Sweden stresses the special role of the eight Arctic states. At the same time, increased Ann Linde cooperation with observers to the Arctic Minister for Foreign Affairs Council and other interested actors is 1 Foreword 1 1. Introduction – starting points for Sweden as an Arctic country 4 2. Priorities for Swedish Arctic policy 8 2.1 International collaboration in the Arctic 11 2.1.1 International law framework 12 2.1.2 Institutional framework 14 2.1.3 European Union 18 2.1.4 Bilateral cooperation 19 2.2 Security and stability 21 2.2.1 Security policy trends 22 2.2.2 International cooperation 23 2.2.3 Enhanced national capability 24 2.3 Climate and the environment 29 2.3.1 Climate 31 2.3.2 Biodiversity 32 2.3.3 Non-toxic environment 34 2.3.4 Nuclear safety and radiation protection 35 2.4 Polar research and environmental monitoring 37 2.4.1 International cooperation 38 2.4.2 Logistics platforms 39 2.4.3 Knowledge exchange 40 2.5 Sustainable economic development and business sector interests 43 2.5.1 Sustainable economic development 44 2.5.2 Swedish business interests in the Arctics 48 2.6 Ensuring good living conditions 53 2.6.1 Digital infrastructure 54 2.6.2 Gender equality 54 2.6.3 Young people 55 2.6.4 Indigenous peoples’ culture and reindeer husbandry 56 3. Background about cooperation organisations linked to the Arctic region 60 2 Sweden will contribute, as one of the eight Arctic countries, to peaceful, stable and sustainable development in the Arctic. The Government wants to strengthen Sweden’s Arctic profile by making use of the full range of knowledge and resources available in Sweden. Photo: Henrik Trygg/Imagebank.sweden.se 3 1. Introduction – starting points for Sweden as an Arctic country Sweden is an Arctic country. Sweden of the foundations for international secu- therefore has a particular interest in and rity and stability in the region. The Gov- responsibility for promoting peaceful, ernment will also contribute to achieving stable and sustainable development and relevant global Sustainable Development contributing to constructive international Goals in the 2030 Agenda in the Arctic, cooperation in the Arctic. As one of the too, and show leadership in the imple- eight Arctic countries, Sweden is a mem- mentation of the international climate ber of the Arctic Council. agreement (the Paris Agreement) to limit global warming, including in the Arctic. The Arctic is facing both new opportuni- ties and severe challenges. This applies The changes in the Arctic have also led especially to the dramatic climate and en- to increased international interest in the vironmental changes. Global warming has region. Several countries in Europe and hit the Arctic particularly hard, reducing Asia have become observers to the Arctic the extent of ice and permafrost cover Council. The European Union (EU) has and affecting biodiversity and the living strengthened its Arctic profile. The Gov- conditions of the region’s population. ernment welcomes this development and The indigenous peoples are particularly takes a positive view of the possibility of vulnerable. Climate change has also mobilising increased international support played a part in increasing the economic and engagement to address the global importance of the Arctic. The smaller ice challenges, in the Arctic region, in par- cover creates new conditions for the use ticular the impacts of climate change. of natural resources and sea transport, for instance. The region’s geostrategic At the same time, it is in Sweden’s interest importance has increased for both Arctic to safeguard the special role and position and non-Arctic states. Increased military of the Arctic states in promoting peace- presence and activity in the region have ful, stable and sustainable development in security policy consequences. COVID-19 the Arctic region, mainly by strengthening has underlined the need for both resil- cooperation in the Arctic Council. ience and preparedness in the local com- munities in the Arctic region to deal with The Government’s previous strategy for pandemics. the Arctic region was adopted in 2011, the same year that Sweden assumed the Sweden has to take these changes in the rotating two-year Chairmanship of the Arctic into account. A Swedish core inter- Arctic Council for the first time. In the est is to try to contribute to a peaceful, light of the rapid developments in the stable and sustainable development of region, there is now reason for the the region through well-functioning inter- Government to adopt a new integrated national cooperation with Arctic and approach to Arctic policy. non-Arctic actors in the region. In both bilateral and multilateral settings, the This renewed strategy is intended to set Government will uphold an approach out the Government’s objectives and based on a broad concept of security. It is main priorities in relation to the Arctic an overarching Swedish interest to uphold region and to specify the political direc- respect for international law and the tion of further work on the Arctic in six rules-based world order, which form part thematic areas: 5 1. international collaboration; socially and environmentally sustainable 2. security and stability; development. Following extensive global 3. climate and the environment; negotiation processes, both the global agenda for sustainable development (the 4. polar research and environmental 2030 Agenda) and the international cli- monitoring; mate agreement (the Paris Agreement) 5. sustainable economic development were adopted in 2015. These global and business interests; frameworks are important starting points 6. securing good living conditions. for Swedish engagement and internation- al cooperation in the Arctic. One important starting point for the The Government considers that Sweden strategy is to make use of the full range should take a leading role in the global of knowledge and resources available in implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Sweden regarding the Arctic region so as global agenda for sustainable develop- to contribute to sustainable development ment. The 2030 Agenda contains 17 in the Arctic and also to enhance Sweden’s global goals (SDGs) and 169 targets for profile as an important actor in this re- sustainable development. Several of them spect. For a long time, Sweden’s engage- are particularly relevant to developments ment in the Arctic has involved not only in the Arctic; examples are goal 12 Sus- the Government, the Riksdag and gov- tainable consumption and production, ernment agencies, but also regional and goal 13 Combating climate change and local authorities, indigenous peoples’ or- its impacts, goal 14 Sustainable use of the ganisations, higher education institutions, oceans, seas and marine resources and businesses and other actors in Sweden’s goal 15 Sustainable use of terrestrial eco- Arctic region. systems. In these matters the Govern- ment calls for a high level of ambition in 1.1 Guiding principles of Swedish the implementation phase. foreign policy The Government’s Arctic policy is based Sweden will also be a leader in the imple- on the basic principles that guide Sweden’s mentation of the Paris Agreement to broad foreign and security policy. Central limit global warming, including in the among them are respect for international Arctic. One commitment made by the law, human rights, democracy, the princi- parties to the Paris Agreement is to keep ples of the rule of law and gender equality. the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial The Government stands up for demo- levels. Preserving Arctic ice and perma- cratic principles in all contexts and is frost is crucial in limiting global warming. working to strengthen democracy. This The Government has the objective that applies both to our own situation in our Sweden will be the world’s first fossil-free neighbourhood and to our efforts in sup- welfare nation and that, by 2045, Sweden port for peace, security and development will not have any net emissions of green- in the world. Gender equality is essential house gases into the atmosphere. to democracy. 1.3 Definition of the Arctic 1.2 Global framework for sustainable There are several different definitions of development and climate work the Arctic region. Its borders are drawn in The past decade has seen considerable different ways in different scientific areas development in the normative area of or political agreements. The region is particular importance for managing characterised by being made up of an global challenges such as the rapid climate ocean (the Arctic Ocean) surrounded by change, and for working for economically, sovereign states.