Opportunities and Responsibilities – On the Path to Arctic Governance
"This is one of the greatest strategic challenges of the 21st century. It concerns us all." With these words Minister of State Gloser opened the international conference on the Arctic at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. From March 11 to 13 public officials and scientists met in Berlin to discuss "New Challenges and New Responsibilities" stemming from an increasingly ice-free Arctic. The conference was jointly organized with the Norwegian and the Danish foreign ministries. In three separate thematic fora participants discussed aspects of international law, challenges for arctic research and sustainability issues, as well as economical questions.
Participants agreed that important cornerstones for an Arctic governance structure already exist. In his introductory remarks, Professor Wolfrum, a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, pointed out that the Arctic is not a legal black hole. Indeed, the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea, regulations from the International Maritime Organization, and a number of additional agreements provide sufficient basis for settling legal issues in the Arctic region today. On the other side, Aqqaluk Lynge, president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, highlighted the shortcomings of the current system regarding the protection of the indigenous Inuit population. He stressed that any governance structure in the Arctic should always be measured according to its inclusiveness of the Inuit. A successful case in this context has been the Arctic Council. The intergovernmental body was founded in 1996 and brought together the Arctic Nations and representatives of the major Inuit organizations. Participants at the conference agreed in large that the Council will, in future, play an increasingly important role as agenda setter. Moreover, the Council will serve as coordinator of national measures for its members, as well as a forum for the exchange of knowledge. Wide scepticism, however, was expressed regarding its ability to actually fulfill a governing role. Some discussants therefore stressed the potential of ecosystem-based management strategies. Such a holistic approach could at least partially help overcome the currently fragmented governance structure. (Joeran Altenberg)
Additional information about the event, as well as background materials are available on the official conference website: http://arctic-governance.org/
Participants agreed that important cornerstones for an Arctic governance structure already exist. In his introductory remarks, Professor Wolfrum, a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, pointed out that the Arctic is not a legal black hole. Indeed, the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea, regulations from the International Maritime Organization, and a number of additional agreements provide sufficient basis for settling legal issues in the Arctic region today. On the other side, Aqqaluk Lynge, president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, highlighted the shortcomings of the current system regarding the protection of the indigenous Inuit population. He stressed that any governance structure in the Arctic should always be measured according to its inclusiveness of the Inuit. A successful case in this context has been the Arctic Council. The intergovernmental body was founded in 1996 and brought together the Arctic Nations and representatives of the major Inuit organizations. Participants at the conference agreed in large that the Council will, in future, play an increasingly important role as agenda setter. Moreover, the Council will serve as coordinator of national measures for its members, as well as a forum for the exchange of knowledge. Wide scepticism, however, was expressed regarding its ability to actually fulfill a governing role. Some discussants therefore stressed the potential of ecosystem-based management strategies. Such a holistic approach could at least partially help overcome the currently fragmented governance structure. (Joeran Altenberg)
Additional information about the event, as well as background materials are available on the official conference website: http://arctic-governance.org/
Published in:ECC-Newsletter, April 2009