Permanent participants weigh in 10 MAGAZINE Looming challenges 16 No. 1 2017 THE CIRCLE Iceland on deck 22 Sustainability Connectivity Conservation Development FINLAND TAKES THE CHAIR ARCTIC COUNCIL EDITION PUBLISHED BY THE WWF ARCTIC PROGRAMME THE CIRCLE 1.2017 ARCTIC COUNCIL EDITION Contents EDITORIAL Collaboration in times of change 3 IN BRIEF 4 JUHA SIPILÄ Finland takes the Chair 6 HEATHER EXNER-PIROT The U.S. – in like a lion, out like a lamb? 8 LARS-OTTO REIERSEN Looming challenges 16 KEES RADE and JORDEN SPLINTER Early Adopters 19 EIRIK SIVERTSEN Support for Finland 20 ARNI THOR SIGURDSSON Iceland on deck 22 Permanent Participants weigh in JON PETTER GINTAL Including Sámi Parliaments 10 JIM GAMBLE Improving connections and information 11 GRANT SULLIVAN Clean power for Arctic communities 12 OKALIK EEGEESIAK From policy shaping to policy making 12 Increasing Indigenous capacity 13 Scoring the Arctic Council 14 THE PICTURE 24 The Circle is published quarterly Publisher: Editor in Chief: Clive Tesar, COVER: Flag of Finland. by the WWF Arctic Programme. WWF Arctic Programme [email protected] Illustration: Ketill Berger, Film & Form, filmform.no Reproduction and quotation with 8th floor, 275 Slater St., Ottawa, appropriate credit are encour- ON, Canada K1P 5H9. Managing Editor: Becky Rynor, ABOVE: Arctic tern. Photo: Smudge 9000, CC, Flickr.com aged. Articles by non-affiliated Tel: +1 613-232-8706 [email protected] sources do not necessarily reflect Fax: +1 613-232-4181 the views or policies of WWF. Design and production: Send change of address and sub- Internet: www.panda.org/arctic Film & Form/Ketill Berger, scription queries to the address [email protected] on the right. We reserve the right ISSN 2073-980X = The Circle to edit letters for publication, Printed by St. Joseph Communications and assume no responsibility for Date of publication: unsolicited material. April 2017. Thank you for your interest in The Circle. Many of our subscribers have moved to an e-version. To receive an electronic copy in your email instead of a paper 2 The Circle 1.2017 copy, please write to us at [email protected] and help us reduce our costs and footprint. THE CIRCLE 1.2017 EDITORIAL Collaboration in times of change THE CIRCLE frequently addresses changes taking place tion of the importance of long term strategic goals that in the Arctic –changes to climate, waters, human activi- look beyond the two-year chairmanships. ties and wildlife – which are occurring in this region at Within the Arctic Council structure, the Permanent unprecedented speed. One constant throughout these Participants – the circumpolar Indigenous peoples’ orga- changes has been the government of Finland’s recogni- nizations – also have a voice in directing the Council. tion of the need to work on them collaboratively through They also weigh in on what they feel needs to be priori- the Arctic Council. tized in this term. Finland first chaired the Arctic Council in 2000. At that Outside of the Council, Arctic parliamentarians are time, its Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja acknowledged requesting a forum of the Arctic state ministers respon- that Finland was starting its term “preoccupied with our sible for climate to discuss initiatives for reducing emis- constant cause of anxiety, the vulnerability of the Arctic sions of carbon dioxide and short-lived climate forcers. environment. The repercussions of climate change are Observer states to the Arctic Council far-reaching not only in the Arctic region but also glob- – non-Arctic countries – also need to ally.” He also noted that all their activities as Chair must be involved and aware of how they can be based on an appreciation of the link between the envi- contribute to a well-governed Arctic. The ronment, and the knowledge of the government of Indigenous peoples and others living the Netherlands in the region. FINLAND RECOGNIZES THE speaks to how the At that time, Minister Tuomioja IMPORTANCE OF LOOK- Observer states LIISA ROHWEDER is underscored the importance of focus- can and should CEO of WWF Finland ing on the ecological, as well as the ING BEYOND THE TWO- engage with the social, cultural and economic dimen- YEAR CHAIRMANSHIPS Council. sions of sustainable development. As an organizational observer The rotating chair of the Arctic and active participant in the Coun- Council now returns to Finland. In introducing its priori- cil’s work, WWF has strong views on what the Council ties for the next two years, Finland is again highlighting should tackle. One of our repeated requests has been that climate change and sustainable development. As always, Arctic states track progress on joint conservation commit- these priorities must merge with the views of other coun- ments. To assist them, WWF has developed a scorecard tries in defining the Ministerial direction for the upcom- showing progress to date against several critical indicators. ing term. As you’ll read in this edition of The Circle, the We also urge this Ministerial to include: developing outgoing US Chair faced a mid-term change in presidents Arctic-wide plans and incentives for renewable energy; and no one is entirely sure what the new administration’s advancing creation of a network of marine protected priorities are for the Arctic. Meanwhile, Iceland is on areas to further minimize the risks of increasing Arctic deck to chair the Council in 2019 and is already consult- shipping, and improved understanding of the effects of an ing its citizens on what issues should be highlighted in its acidifying ocean on fisheries. Our full input to the Minis- upcoming term. This neatly ties in to Finland’s recogni- terial meeting can be found at panda.org/arctic. l The Circle 1.2017 3 IN BRIEF pearance of sea ice. “We must leverage the Paris Agreement on climate change through increased scale and speed of implemen- tation,” he urges. Great Siberian Polynya to be protected AN AREA OF OPEN WATER in © MOW – Michael Alesi © MOW – Michael the high Arctic – the Great Left to right: Lisa Speer (NRDC), H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Fanny Douvere (UNE- Siberian Polynya – impor- SCO), Carl Lundin (IUCN). tant to polar bears, walruses, and many other species, is significance,” says Clive Tes- says Martin Sommerkorn, gaining greater protection World Heritage ar, who leads WWF’s Last Ice Head of Conservation for with the creation of the New Area project. “Annual records WWF’s Arctic Programme. Siberian Islands reserve in sites in Arctic set by shrinking Arctic sea ice “Polar bears need the ice to the Yukutia territory. It will indicate we are running out reach denning areas, or to get be among Russia’s biggest Waters of time to protect these areas out onto the ice to feed after marine protected areas. for species such as polar a long fasting period in the The New Siberian Islands SEVEN GLOBALLY significant bears and narwhals. Their den. Several species of seal is home to one of the least- marine sites in the Arctic homes are melting away.” also rely on the ice to give studied polar bear popula- Ocean have been identified birth in the spring.” tions – the Laptev Sea popu- by the International Union A recent study suggested lation – along with walrus for Conservation of Nature that 50-70% of the Arctic ice subspecies, spectacled eider, (IUCN) as warranting pro- Declining ice sets disappearance is caused by klokotun, pink seagull, and tection and could qualify people. Bewick’s swan. Every winter, for World Heritage status. “This is not just about the the Great Siberian Polynya The report, in partnership new record effects on Arctic animals; it is a sanctuary for these and with the US-based Natural THE US NATIONAL SNOW and is also about the people who many other animals. Unique- Resources Defense Council Ice Data Centre has con- rely on those animals,” says ly located between the East (NRDC) and UNESCO’s firmed that Arctic sea ice set Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, head Siberian and the Laptev Seas, World Heritage Centre, was its lowest spring extent in 38 of WWF’s Climate & Energy the polynya never freezes, supported by WWF. years of satellite measure- Practice. “We’re trying to allowing many Arctic species Some areas identified by ment. The ice maximum cool a larger, hotter part of to winter there. the report for potential heri- – when polar sea ice hits the world with a smaller and The nature reserve project, tage designation overlap with its greatest extent in spring smaller air conditioner. If the spearheaded by WWF Rus- the Last Ice Area, prioritized – has been declining at a sea ice goes, it will impact sia, was validated by the state by WWF for conservation. rate of about 3 per cent per the lives and livelihoods of ecological expert examina- “This report is another decade. billions of people and cause tion and approved by the nudge to Arctic nations that “This is extremely wor- untold damage to sensitive Government of Yakutia. It they need to act now to con- risome for animals at the ecosystems.” He says this is has been submitted to the serve these areas of local, margins of the ice extent, a reminder that we must act Government of the Russian national and international such as the European Arctic,” quickly to slow the disap- Federation to sign. 4 The Circle 1.2017 IN BRIEF Polar bear subpopulations stable, but shrinking sea ice taking a toll NEWLY-RELEASED results of a polar bear subpopulation survey show two of Canada’s 13 polar bear subpopula- tions, previously thought to be declining, are likely stable while another may even be increasing. However, the sur- vey has also uncovered some worrisome trends. Scientists observed the bears looked thinner, fewer cubs are sur- viving into adulthood, and female bears are being forced Photo: Alex Berger, CC, Flickr.com Alex Berger, Photo: to swim longer distances Polar Bears, Churchill, Canada for food.