ABSTRACT
The Arctic Council is an international soft-law institution established in 1996 to address issues of environmental protection and Sustainable Development in the Arctic. Its membership comprises eight states with sovereignty over territory north of the Arctic Circle-Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US (see Regional governance). Several transnational indigenous peoples and local communities associations, such as the Inuit Circumpolar Council and the Saami Council, have permanent participant status, which includes full consultation in all Council meetings and activities, but decisions are taken by the member states. This unusually prominent role of indigenous-peoples’ organizations was integral to Canada’s initiative for the Arctic Council and weighs heavily in the Council’s self-presentation. Numerous non-Arctic states, international bodies, and nongovernmental organizations participate as observers. Biannual ministerial meetings adopt declarations directing Council activities, with implementation overseen by the members’ Senior Arctic Officials. Working groups in areas such as environmental monitoring, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development prepare assessment reports and other studies, sometimes involving non-binding
recommendations on such matters as environmental toxics, climate change, oil and gas activities, and shipping (Koivurova and VanderZwaag 2007). Ad hoc task forces have dealt with, among other things, the development of legally binding agreements (adopted by the member states, not the Council) on Search and Rescue (2011) and Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response (2013). A permanent secretariat has been operational since 2013, as has a Project Support Instrument for improving regional capacities in areas such as integrated hazardous waste management.
