ABSTRACT
The importance of protecting the Arctic environment and conserving its biological resources was initially stressed in the new policy. The need for assuring that natural resource management and economic development in the region were environmentally sustainable was next considered important. Finally, the idea of strengthening institutions for cooperation among the eight Arctic nations was accepted. The Arctic was seen more in terms of its rich natural resources and their potential for further regional use and development, instead of the fragility and vulnerability of its ecosystems and populations. The Inuit emphasize the right of participation in the management and development of the Arctic and its resources. Regimes institutionalize a particular ethical stand on the human-environment relationship. The characteristics of Arctic ecosystems and their biodiversity also make them more vulnerable to human impacts and susceptible to threats. Through the idea of sustainable development indigenous peoples are redefining their identities as economic actors.
