ABSTRACT
Identifying and understanding Arctic environmental problems attributed to the exploitation and mismanagement of natural resources and the globalisation of the economy only points to another problem: how to find solutions and how to design and implement workable environmental policies? Indigenous peoples’ organisations have grown in strength over the last decade, gaining both visibility and credibility as they participate in policy dialogue and decision-making processes at regional, national and international levels. In this regard indigenous peoples’ organisations play a pivotal role in agenda setting and political debate with respect to the Arctic environment and resource development, challenging the authority of the state and questioning both the processes and meanings of modernity and development (Wilmer 1993). Indigenous peoples have set themselves in the vanguard of environmental protection and have been the driving force behind many recent initiatives in Arctic environmental protection and sustainable development. This chapter discusses the involvement of indigenous peoples’ organisations in the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, with specific reference to the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC). Chapter 3 continues this theme with reference to the Arctic Council and assesses the potential for sustained co-operation on protection and development of Arctic resources.
