Foreign Minister Jan Petersen

Strengthening of the Environmental Effort in the Arctic

The Fourth Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting,
Reykjavík, Iceland, 24 November 2004

Let me, Mr. Chairman, commend you for your excellent chairmanship of the Arctic Council during the past two years.

Four years ago, at the Barrow Ministerial meeting, we asked our scientists for the best possible advice on Arctic climate change and its consequences. This we have now received from Dr. Corell and his large group of scientists.

Global warming is without doubt the most pressing item on the Arctic environmental agenda, and the Arctic Climate Impact Assess­ment (ACIA) report will provide a unique basis for governments to respond to this challenge.

I am grateful for the vital role of the United States in the ACIA process. The US initiated the ACIA, and has both chaired and given the largest scientific input to the work. It is encouraging that all Arctic States have co-operated in producing such a major study on climate change.

The consequences of climate change in the Arctic will be dramatic and could affect industries, infrastructure, the environment, transport and vital aspects of human life. The message is both strong and clear, and the researchers agree.

The task before us now is to raise awareness in all countries about the ACIA findings. Climate change is first seen in the Arctic, and the changes in the Arctic will also affect the rest of the world. The Arctic countries need to bring this “early warning” to the world and they must be active in finding solutions. A good place to start is at the conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Buenos Aires next month.

Climate change is a truly global issue. No single country can act effectively alone. We must seek international solutions, and every country will have to take its share of the necessary burdens.

The Arctic region does not contribute significantly to global climate change. However, the Arctic states are responsible for about 40 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions. We must therefore take the lead both in reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases, and we must co-operate in finding appropriate ways to adapt to the rapidly changing climate.

Norway will in the near future have in place climate policy instruments that regulate almost all sources of greenhouse gas emissions. They include green taxes, a special CO2 tax and a newly proposed emission trading system for greenhouse gases, effective from 2005.

The alarming change in the Arctic climate has reinforced the need for new and stronger commitments to reduce the global emissions of greenhouse gases. Fulfilling the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol is therefore only the first step. Norway will work actively to focus on this issue under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and in other relevant settings.

Climate change must be kept high on the agenda of the Arctic Council. The Policy Document agreed to after long negotiations is a good starting point. The challenges concerning mitigation, adaptation and further research call for a continued and more extensive co-operation between the Arctic states. We would like to see an updated assessment on climate change in the Arctic within 10 years.

Mr. Chairman,

I want to commend Iceland for initiating the work on the Arctic Human Development Report. Co-operation on Arctic sustainable development is not an easy task. We are all Arctic nations, but we are also quite different.

The Arctic Human Development report may serve as a valuable tool in finding specific areas that deserve more focused attention in our work. I feel certain that the report will be a valuable contribution for strengthening the important human dimension in our work.

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Mr. Chairman,

The Arctic contains the largest remaining wilderness areas in the Northern Hemisphere, and local populations are highly dependent on its rich natural resources. These assets need to be taken care of, and I am grateful for all the valuable work made by the various working groups of the Arctic Council in this regard.

To be able to effectively meet the environ­mental challenges of the north, we need updated, comprehensive and reliable infor­mation. The reports from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) are recognised as major references on Arctic pollution issues. They have also been highly useful as inputs to international agreements, such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The work of AMAP will be very important when it comes to monitoring the effectiveness of these agreements, and in identifying new contaminants that should be subject to international control. The AMAP work depends on a network of monitoring stations all over the Arctic, and I would like to stress the importance of updating this network.

The knowledge we have gained must be followed by practical action. The concrete projects under the “Arctic Council Action Plan” are good examples of speedy initiation of projects that give measurable results.

I am pleased that we have been able to agree on the establishment of an Arctic Council Project Support Fund. This will further increase the effectiveness of our work and add a new dimension to the work of the Arctic Council. Norway is prepared to contribute 200.000 US dollars to the Fund.

I welcome the “Arctic Marine Strategic Plan” as an important tool, which can contribute to an integrated ocean management, including an ecosystem-based approach. I look forward to the comprehensive shipping assessment to be conducted, and I would like to underline the importance of developing harmonised guidelines for ship-generated waste and cargo residues.

The need for networks of protected areas was underlined at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity earlier this year. The efforts to prepare an implementation plan for the “Circumpolar Protected Areas Network” are therefore most welcome. I am pleased to announce that for the Svalbard archipelago, a near complete protected areas network has now been established. This brings us closer to our ambitious goal of making Svalbard one of the best managed wilderness areas in the world.

The reindeer project, lead by Norway, has now concluded its second phase, and has submitted the report: “Family-Based Reindeer Herding and Hunting Economies, and the Status and management of Wild Reindeer and Caribou Populations”. I am impressed by the report and have noted their recommendations with interest. The Russian participation has been of particular importance for the successful outcome of the project.

As a follow-up to the recommendations in the phase one report, Norway has now decided to establish an international centre for reindeer herders in the Arctic, in Kautokeino, in close co-operation with the World Reindeer Herders. This will be a resource centre for exchange of information between herders in different countries and for promoting co-operation between them. The centre will open next year, and thus add a new dimension to our circumpolar co-operation.

At the 2002 “Taking Wing Conference on Gender Equality and Women in the Arctic” considerable attention was paid to the roles of women in resource-based sectors. This was followed by the Norwegian led project “Women’s Participation in Decision-making Processes in Arctic Fisheries Resource Management”. The second phase will broaden the perspective to “Women and Resource Management in the Rural North”. I welcome the work and hope it will give increased focus on gender issues as an important part of the work on sustainable development within the Arctic Council.

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Mr. Chairman,

The Arctic Council is a key institution for dealing with Arctic issues. It is the only institution comprising all Arctic States as well as permanent participants from the Arctic indigenous peoples.

The co-operation within the Arctic Council has put Arctic affairs higher on the agenda within our own countries it has also made it possible to present common Arctic views in other international fora. I would like to commend the Icelandic chairmanship for their very active work in this regard.

I appreciate the increased Russian involvement in the work of the Council. Russia is a vital partner in the Arctic, having both the largest Arctic territory and the largest Arctic population. I therefore look forward to working closely with the Russian chairmanship of the Arctic Council for 2004-2006.

It is no secret that Russia also is one of the largest sources for Arctic contamination. I hope that the Russian chairmanship will give a strong push forward to the efforts of dealing with these challenges.

Norway is a committed participant in the Arctic Council, and we will work for further strengthening of the Council as the main body for circumpolar co-operation. Norway favours a permanent secretariat and a more reliable system of financing. If effectiveness and practical results are wanted, we must consider moving from the ad hoc organisation of today to a more firm and forward looking system. Our agreement on the Arctic Council Project Support Fund is a good start.

Important maritime areas with huge natural resources surround the Arctic Region. There are long traditions of utilising these renewable resources, and many Arctic populations depend on them. We are also becoming increasingly aware of the importance of deposits of oil and gas in the Arctic region. Development of these resources will give new jobs and wealth, but could also include challenges for the traditional activities and living conditions for northerners.

I look forward to receiving the ”Assessment of Potential Impacts of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic”, lead by AMAP. This will be a major deliverable for our next meeting. The impact assessment is a good start for discussion on political challenges related to oil and gas activities.

However, we must also consider bringing together experts on the more practical aspects of petroleum exploration, development and transport, to discuss common standards for petroleum activities in the North in order to safeguard a clean and rich sea and the wealth of resources it has to offer. In this context we look forward to the “Arctic rescue” initiative of the Russian Federation. The focus on the Northern Sea Route is also of great interest to us.

The third International Polar Year will take place in 2007/2008. This is a unique opportunity for the Arctic Council to provide political support and co-ordination for the International Polar Year in the Arctic. Norway is encouraged by the high priority given to the International Polar Year by the incoming Russian Chair.

Mr. Chairman,

Norway has since the early beginning of Arctic co-operation given high priority to the work of the Arctic Council. I can assure you that this will continue. I am pleased to announce Norway’s readiness to take on the responsibility of chairing the Arctic Council, after Russia, for the period 2006-2008.

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