State Secretary Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt

Arctic Climate Change

Seminar in the European Parliament, March 8, 2006

The presentation was based on the following text:

• The High North will be Norway’s most important strategic priority area in the years ahead.
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• The reasons for this are simple. Norway’s interests in the area are as strong as they are permanent. One third of mainland Norway stretches north of the Arctic Circle. Norwegian jurisdiction in the Arctic and Barents Seas covers an area six times the size of mainland Norway.
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• The Arctic contains rich and valuable natural resources. The marine ecosystems in the Barents Sea are some of the most productive in the world and are an important source of fish to the European market. These resources must be managed in such a way that they continue to secure important food supplies and jobs and income for future generations.
• Norway’s policy is based on the principle of sustainable management and harvesting. Already, the Barents Sea is one of the world’s most important laboratories for developing a sustainable and eco-system based fisheries’ management, where Norway and Russia are co-operating closely.
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• However, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is a serious problem. It could lead to fish stocks being overexploited and severely depleted, with the result that legal fishing may have to be reduced or even stopped. Estimates indicate that 100 000 tonnes of fish at a first hand value of approximately 200 million euros are illegally caught per year. That is in fact one fourth of the total allowable catch.
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• We have a common interest in putting an end to this criminal activity which is undermining the future development of fish stocks. Finding ways of combating illegal fishing is therefore at the forefront of the Norwegian-Russian cooperation on managing the common fish stocks in these waters
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• The Barents Sea also has the potential to become an important source of energy supply to Europe and North America. The US Geological Survey has estimated that about a quarter of the world’s undiscovered petroleum reserves are located in the Arctic. These are the areas from which Europeans would get a large part of their gas when the North Sea has been emptied.
• Norway is the second largest exporter of gas to Europe and the world’s third largest exporter of oil. Only Russia exports more. Norway produced 25 percent of the total western European gas production in 2003.
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• Opening up the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea for petroleum production will depend on a careful assessment of environmental risks. Operators on the Norwegian shelf have to abide by the world’s most stringent environmental regulations. Engaging Norwegian companies in the new chapters to be written in the Barents Sea will help to set the standard for activities in this vulnerable region.
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• We must not forget that the Arctic oil age is likely to last a few generations, whereas the living marine resources of the northern seas are renewable for as long as we harvest them in a sustainable manner and do not affect them negatively by other activities. Consequently, we must make sure that exploitation of energy resources is based on stringent environmental standards and the most advanced technology available. We must also take into consideration potential effects on the civil society, and the protection of the rights of local and Indigenous societies.
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• The Arctic has the largest remaining wilderness areas in the northern hemisphere. Ecosystems, habitats and species can still be studied closer to their original state than anywhere else in the world. In a world where areas undisturbed by man are rapidly decreasing, the Arctic wilderness will - if properly managed – be an increasingly valuable asset for us all.
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• Among the areas assumed under the term Arctic wilderness we also find the traditional homelands of many Indigenous Arctic peoples. Among them, tradition based knowledge of, and practices related to, the Arctic nature are still of vital importance. This knowledge base is an asset that has, as yet, only to a limited degree been made relevant for research and public management.
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• The Norwegian Government will intensify efforts to exercise sovereignty and to ensure the sustainable management of the rich fish and energy resources. The aim of our High North policy is to protect the environment, maintain settlement patterns and promote business development in the north.
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• But it is our common obligation to cooperate on a sustainable management of Arctic resources to the benefit of present and future generations. Cooperation is the key word. We need occasions like this seminar to raise awareness about problems and discuss solutions. The insight and views of parliamentarians are highly appreciated and needed.
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• We see a need for expanded international co-operation to face many of these challenges. We will put a lot of effort into strengthening our co-operation with Russia. We will pursue this commission both bilaterally and in regional organisations, such as the Barents Council and Arctic Council.
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• But we need to look more broadly. We will continue to engage close political allies to help back up a regime of peace, stability and predictability in the region. That will involve close political dialogue and involvement by our friends and partners on both sides of the Atlantic.
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• We also recognise the fact that other countries have an increasing interest in this area. This is why we want to further develop dialogues on the High North with European and North American partners.
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• Such a High North dialogue with the various EU institutions is high on our wish list.
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• The marine resources in the Barents Sea know no borders. In Norway we will soon present an integrated management plan for our part of the Barents Sea for our Parliament. The plan will be based on an ecosystem approach and include standards for petroleum exploration, shipping and fisheries. Our vision is to develop an integrated management plan for the entire Barents Sea in cooperation with Russia, and on a longer term for the whole circumpolar Arctic.
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• The Arctic Council might become an important tool for achieving such goals on a circumpolar level. The Council was established in 1996 based on the Finnish initiated Arctic environmental co-operation dating from 1991 (“The Rovaniemi process”). A major feature of the Arctic Council is full integration of the indigenous peoples. This integration is of great benefit to the participating governments, and, I believe, also to the indigenous peoples.
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• Norway will be chairing the Arctic Council for 2006-2008 after the present Russian chairmanship, starting in late October. After Norway, Sweden and Denmark will follow as chairs. The three countries intend to implement a co-ordinated program for the Arctic Council for the period 2006-2012.
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• The final program will be presented at the Ministerial in October. However, it is no secret that issues such as sustainable use of natural resources as well as continuation of the work on contaminants and climate change are important priorities for our three countries, - priorities that most likely will be reflected in our coordinated Arctic Council program.
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• Permit me also to mention – as we are celebrating International Women’s Day today – the fact that gender issues are also on the Arctic Council agenda. The Northern Feminist University in Norway contributed to the report Women's participation in Decision making Processes in Arctic Fisheries Resource Management which was published in 2004. And next week, gender issues will be discussed, with Norwegian contributors, when the Arctic Council Working Group for Sustainable Development meets in Salekhard in Russia. We will, of course, keep up the focus on these issues during the Norwegian chairmanship of the Arctic Council.
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• Global warming is without a doubt the most pressing issue on the Arctic environmental agenda. The consequences of climate change in the Arctic will be dramatic and could affect industries, infrastructure, transport and the natural environment. It can also affect vital aspects of human life, and have severe effects on the livelihood of the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic.
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• 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.
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• The ice of the Arctic is melting. Open sea has already been observed around the North Pole in the summertime. Summer ice extent was at its minimum in recorded history in 2005, and current estimates indicate that the entire summer ice sheet may entirely disappear.
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• The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) is a landmark achievement and I would like to commend the Arctic Council and their member states – the five Nordic countries, Canada, Russia and the US - for producing such an excellent report.
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• The assessment provides essential data on which governments can and should base their response to the challenges of climate change, individually and collectively. We now need to follow up the work of the assessment and to link it to research, monitoring and data collection, including local and indigenous knowledge and observations, in connection with the International Polar Year 2007 – 2008 and future work under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Arctic Council.
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• 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.
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• Over the last 15 years, Norway has introduced policies and measures to reduce emissions in almost all sectors. We are using the tools at our disposal – taxes, regulations, emissions trading and agreements. Still we have not been able to stop emissions growth. So, we must strengthen our policies and measures to fulfil our Kyoto commitments. This is a top priority for the Government.
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• Further, we need to move forward and admit that climate change in the Arctic is a stark reminder of the need to move the Kyoto agenda one step further. We have some real environmental issues to be dealt with, and there is a clear need for global solutions.
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• Indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts. Many indigenous Peoples depend on fishing, hunting and reindeer herding, not only for food and economy, but also as the basis for cultural and social identity. Changes in species’ ranges and availability of and access to these species present serious challenges, and possibly even the survival of some cultures.
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• The indigenous people of northern Europe – the Saami People – lives in Norway, Sweden Finland and Russia. Some of them are reindeer herders. Their herding practices, ancient in origin, are based on generations of experience accumulated, developed and adapted to the climatic and administrative systems of the north.
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• Finnmark is an important region for Saami nomadic reindeer herding, a part of Norway in which the local effects of warming of the global climate during the next 30 to 50 years are likely to be most pronounced. Reindeer herders in Norway and Russia have to prepare themselves, their society and management authorities for change to reduce their vulnerability to effects of climatic change and define their own risks related to rapid change in their society. Norway will support competence building in the Arctic Indigenous societies.
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• Integrating indigenous traditional and scientific knowledge for improved management, policy and decision-making in the north are important. The Norwegian government has just established a new information and outreach centre for world reindeer herders in the Saami community of Kautokeino, Norway. The goal is to increase the understanding and knowledge about circumpolar reindeer herding, like traditional knowledge and their survival capacity to climate change. The centre will develop new information strategies between reindeer herders and between herders and other arctic enterprises and organizations like the Arctic Council.
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• In comparison with many areas of the world, the Arctic remains a relatively clean environment. However, impacts such as long range transport of pollutants and climate change give rise to serious concern in certain ecosystems and for some human populations.
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• Several human populations of the Arctic are highly exposed to environmental contaminants. Persistent contaminants are transported to the Arctic by air, seawater and rivers and accumulate in fish and animals that are used as traditional foods.
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• In the Faeroe Island studies has shown that some children have lowered learning capability due to the mercury from pilot whales that their mothers ate. In Greenland, the Inuits are exposed to high levels of PCBs and pesticides due to high levels in fish and sea mammals that are an important part of their traditional diet.
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• The production and use of new chemicals with persistent and accumulative properties, such as Brominated Flame Retardants which show increasing levels in the Arctic, represent a constant threat to the Arctic peoples.
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• International control of emissions have resulted in measurable reductions in input of some contaminants like lead, radionuclides and acidifying components.
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• When the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) entered into force in May 2005, a major step forward to reduce emissions of POPs was taken. However, we still have a way to go since only a few substances are regulated by the convention and new chemicals are steadily found in the environment. Obviously, we need to strengthen international control of such substances. Monitoring information from the Arctic is important in giving documentation on new candidates for control and as a basis for assessing the effectiveness of the agreements.
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• The common denominator for Norway’s engagement in the High North will be a constant emphasis on knowledge, both scientific and traditional. As a coastal state, we will accept nothing less than state-of-the-art knowledge as a basis for all dimensions of management and regulation of activities in this region. This is also something we think is expected of Norway as a responsible manager of these areas, and we aim to meet these expectations.
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• Among other things, there is a need to focus on establishing reliable information on the status of and changes in the environment. The Norwegian government has launched “Barents 2020”, a research and development initiative to help spur the expertise needed to meet the major challenges we are facing in the north in terms of technology and management. A key focus will be on how to reconcile petroleum technology and environmental regulations.
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• The current EU framework programme for research and technology has been an important arena for pan-European cooperation in developing new knowledge in highly relevant areas such as climate and marine research. I hope that the 7th framework programme will focus even more strongly on these areas.
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• The involvement of European scientists in research that is not only essential for understanding the Arctic system, but also in particular in relation to climate change, is a key to understanding possible future impact on Europe and the globe. It is very much hoped that Arctic research will receive a high priority in the next EU framework programme.
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• A specific objective is to build competence and capacity of Indigenous research institutions, and to enhance fairness and democracy by involving shareholders in decision making processes.
• March next will be the start of the International Polar Year 2007-2008. This will be a major boost forward for international research co-operation in the Arctic and in Antarctica. The Norwegian government has decided that Norway will actively take part.
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• New knowledge and expertise will indeed be important outcomes of the Polar Year. However, I hope that we also will be able to establish a set of permanent Arctic stations for environmental monitoring as a prerequisite for sound research. This monitoring has to be circumpolar, and it is no secret that access to the huge Russian Arctic is a major challenge for Arctic research.
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• Another area where more documentation and research activity is needed is that of local and Indigenous knowledge, with the aim of broadening the knowledge base for future decisions.

Summing up, these are the main guidelines of our policy in the High North:

• We will continue to make our contribution to cooperation, stability and predictability in the region. We will take seriously the obligations that stem from our sovereignty.
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• We will engage with Russia and our European and American partners to help secure the High North as a region of stability, prosperity and high environmental standards.
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• We will continue to manage the living marine resources in a way that safeguards the interests of the fishing communities.
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• We will combat any attempt to diminish valuable fish stocks through violations of clearly defined regulations.
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• We will position ourselves in the technological and industrial forefront in the historic chapter of oil and gas exploration that is being opened in the Barents Sea.
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• And we will do this in a way that takes due account of the needs of the vulnerable Arctic environment and the interests of the local and indigenous populations.

• Finally, let me pay tribute to Satu Hassi and her initiative, to an excellent exhibition and a timely seminar on an important issue.