Online Resources – The Arctic Council

The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. Taken from http://www.arctic-council.org

Getting Started with the Arctic Council

The Arctic Council Explained (video below)

The Ottawa Declaration


Permanent Non-State Participants of the Arctic Council

Aleut International Association

Arctic Athabaskan Council 

Gwich’in Council 

Indigenous Peoples Secretariat

Inuit Circumpolar Council 

Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North

Saami Council


Working Groups of the Arctic Council

ACAP: The Arctic Contaminants Action Program group works with AMAP on emissions and Arctic pollutants

AMAP: The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme group assesses and informs the public and Arctic Council on threats to the Arctic environment

CAFF: The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna group concentrates its work on wildlife and biodiversity issues in the Arctic region

EPPR: The Emergency Prevention Preparedness and Response group focuses on the management and mitigation of environmental emergencies in the Arctic region

PAME: The Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment group works on coastal and marine conservation and sustainability in the Arctic region

SDWG: The Sustainable Development Working Group focuses on sustainable economic development for the states and peoples of the Arctic region


Successful Initiatives and Resolutions

Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic, 2011

US and Canada, Arctic Search and Rescue Exercise by AiirSource Military (video below)

Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic, 2013

Responding to Oil Spills in the US Arctic Marine Environment (video below)

Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation, 2017

Arctic Transformation: Understanding Arctic Research and the Vital Role of Science (video below)


Related and Relevant Organizations and Groups

University of the Arctic

EU Arctic Forum

International Arctic Science Committee

Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network


Further Exploration on the Importance of the Arctic Council and the Arctic Region

The Emerging Arctic by Council on Foreign Relations (video below)

European Union policy for the Arctic by European Commission (video below)


Arctic Geopolitics

Frozen Dreams: Russia’s Arctic Obsession (video below)

State in 60 Seconds: Arctic Council (video below)

What If All The Ice Melted On Earth? (video below)

Further Reading on E-International Relations

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