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101-701: The Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat is a support Secretariat for the International Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations that have Permanent Participant status in the Arctic Council. IPS assists with creating opportunities for the Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations to present their causes, and helps provide them with necessary information and materials. IPS work includes: • Ensuring that Permanent Participants are sent documents and reports connected to

202-554: A Ministerial-level meeting, which is the culmination of the council's work for that period. Most of the eight-member nations are represented by a Minister from their Foreign Affairs, Northern Affairs, or Environment Ministry. A formal, although non-binding, "Declaration", named for the town in which the meeting is held, sums up the past accomplishments and the future work of the council. These Declarations cover climate change, sustainable development , Arctic monitoring and assessment, persistent organic pollutants and other contaminants, and

303-733: A building on the UN Campus known as Langer Eugen . The secretariat is established under Article   8 of the Convention and headed by the Executive Secretary. The secretariat, augmented through the parallel efforts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), aims to gain consensus through meetings and the discussion of various strategies. Since the signing of the UNFCCC treaty, Conferences of

404-715: A footnote): "The use of the term 'peoples' in this declaration shall not be construed as having any implications as regard the rights which may attach to the term under international law." The Indigenous Permanent Participants are assisted by the Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples Secretariat . Approved intergovernmental organizations and Inter-parliamentary institutions (both global and regional), as well as non-governmental organizations can also obtain Observer Status. Organizations with observer status currently include

505-462: A greater understanding of the common heritage of all Athabaskan peoples of Arctic North America. The founding members of AAC include four Alaskan Athabaskan communities ( Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, Healy Lake Traditional Council (Mendees Cheeg), Stevens Village Tribal Government Council, Northway Tribal Council) - and three Athabaskan representative bodies on the Canadian side -

606-508: A low-emission development strategy is central to sustainable development, and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their social and development needs. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) includes a target about the UNFCCC and explains how the Green Climate Fund is meant to be used: One of the five targets under SDG 13, meant to be achieved by 2030, states: "Implement

707-635: A measurable, reportable and verifiable manner." 42 developed countries have submitted mitigation targets to the UNFCCC secretariat, as have 57 developing countries and the African Group (a group of countries within the UN). As part of the 2009 Copenhagen negotiations, a number of countries produced the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord states that global warming should be limited to below 2.0 °C (3.6 °F). The Accord does not specify what

808-613: A report on global warming of 1.5 °C. The IPCC subsequently released the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15) in 2018. The report showed that it was possible to keep warming below 1.5 °C during the 21st century. But this would mean deep cuts in emissions. It would also mean rapid, far-reaching changes in all aspects of society. The report showed warming of 2 °C would have much more severe impacts than 1.5 °C. In other words: every bit of warming matters. SR15 had an unprecedented impact for an IPCC report in

909-509: A shared secretariat 2006–2013. Each rotating Chair nation accepts responsibility for maintaining the secretariat , which handles the administrative aspects of the council, including organizing semiannual meetings, hosting the website, and distributing reports and documents. The Norwegian Polar Institute hosted the Arctic Council Secretariat for the six-year period from 2007 to 2013; this was based on an agreement between

1010-466: A single Arctic state. The number of Permanent Participants should at any time be less than the number of members. The category of Permanent Participants has been created to provide for active participation and full consultation with the Arctic indigenous representatives within the Arctic Council. This principle applies to all meetings and activities of the Arctic Council. Permanent Participants may address

1111-573: Is Mr. Michael Zacharof of Saint Paul Island (Alaska) , Alaska. The Executive Director is Victoria Gofman of Anchorage, Alaska. The organization was formed to address environmental and cultural concerns of the extended Aleut family whose well-being has been connected to the rich resources of the Bering Sea for millennia. Russian and American Aleuts are separated by distances, borders and the International Date Line but united by

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1212-654: Is a "natural prolongation" of the land. Canada, Russia, and Denmark (via Greenland) have all submitted partially overlapping claims to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), which is charged with confirming the continental shelf's outer limits. Once the CLCS makes its rulings, Russia, Denmark, and Canada will need to negotiate to divide their overlapping claims. Disputes also exist over

1313-526: Is actively pursuing collaboration with governments, scientists, and other organizations in developing programs and policies that could improve the well-being of the Aleut people and their environment. AIA was admitted as a permanent participant of the Arctic Council in 1998 and was granted Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2004. In addition, AIA

1414-507: Is an international waterway . The increase in the number of observer states drew attention to other national security issues. Observers have demonstrated their interests in the Arctic region. China has explicitly shown its desire to extract natural resources in Greenland. Military infrastructure is another point to consider. Canada, Denmark, Norway and Russia are rapidly increasing their defence presence by building up their militaries in

1515-572: Is an accredited Non Governmental Organization (NGO) with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC) is an international treaty organization established to represent the interests of United States and Canadian Athabaskan member First Nation governments in Arctic Council fora, and to foster

1616-631: Is around 250,000 people. These peoples are represented by 34 regional and ethnic organizations that have the authority to represent these groups both in Russia and in the international community. RAIPON was created in 1990 at the First Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North. The Association was originally called the "Association of Peoples of the North of the USSR" and united 26 indigenous groups of

1717-541: Is beneficial to all. Looking at these two different perspectives, some suggest that the Arctic Council should expand its role by including peace and security issues as its agenda. A 2010 survey showed that large majorities of respondents in Norway, Canada, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark were very supportive on the issues of an Arctic nuclear-weapons free zone . Although only a small majority of Russian respondents supported such measures, more than 80 percent of them agreed that

1818-466: Is guided by specific objectives that, together, are seen as crucial for effectively implementing climate adaptation and mitigation actions, and for achieving the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC. The Kyoto Protocol ( Japanese : 京都議定書 , Hepburn : Kyōto Giteisho ) was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , based on

1919-726: Is intended that the Green Climate Fund be the centrepiece of efforts to raise climate finance under the UNFCCC. There are four other, smaller multilateral climate funds for paying out money in climate finance which are coordinated by the UNFCCC. These include the Adaptation Fund (AF), the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The GCF

2020-654: Is limiting the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It was signed in 1992 by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit , held in Rio de Janeiro . The treaty entered into force on 21 March 1994. "UNFCCC" is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on

2121-723: Is made up of member and observer states, Indigenous "permanent participants", and observer organizations. Only states with territory in the Arctic can be members of the council. The member states consist of the following: Observer status is open to non-Arctic states approved by the Council at the Ministerial Meetings that occur once every two years. Observers have no voting rights in the council. As of September 2021, thirteen non-Arctic states have observer status. Observer states receive invitations for most Council meetings. Their participation in projects and task forces within

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2222-520: Is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner". Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a term adopted by the UNFCCC in 2015 to have a better name for this topic than "Article 6". It refers to Article 6 of the convention's original text (1992), focusing on six priority areas: education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these issues. The implementation of all six areas has been identified as

2323-409: Is problematic that key signatory states are not adhering to their individual commitments. For this reason, the UNFCCC has been criticized as being unsuccessful in reducing greenhouse gas emission since its adoption. Parties to the convention have not agreed on a process allowing for majority voting. All decisions are taken by consensus, giving individual parties or countries a veto. The effectiveness of

2424-630: Is put towards climate action . The Fund's former director Héla Cheikhrouhou has complained in 2016 that the Fund is backing too many "business-as-usual types of investment proposals". This view is echoed by a number of civil society organizations. "UNFCCC" is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany . Offices were formerly located in Haus Carstanjen and in

2525-588: Is the "Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $ 100 billion commitment through to 2025". The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund for climate finance that was established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Considered the world's largest fund of its kind, GCF's objective

2626-593: Is the largest of these five funds. As of Dec 2023, the GCF had a portfolio of 13.5 billion USD (51.9 billion USD including co-financing). The process of designing the GCF has raised several issues. These include ongoing questions on how funds will be raised, the role of the private sector, the level of "country ownership" of resources, and the transparency of the Board itself. Also, this additional international climate institution might further fragment taxpayer's money that

2727-465: Is to allow ecosystems to adapt to climate change . At the same time it aims to ensure there are no threats to food production from climate change or measures to address it. And it aims to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. The UNFCCC's work currently focuses on implementing the Paris Agreement . This agreement entered into force in 2016. It aims to limit

2828-561: Is to assist developing countries with climate change adaptation and mitigation activities. The GCF is an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC. It is based in Songdo , Incheon , South Korea. It is governed by a Board of 24 members and supported by a Secretariat. Mafalda Duarte , a Portuguese development economist, is the Fund's Executive Director. The Green Climate Fund supports projects and other activities in developing countries using thematic funding windows . It

2929-554: Is to create unity amongst the Inuit to be able to promote their common agenda on the international level. In addition, the ICC stresses the importance of sustainable environmental management in order to preserve the wildlife and biological diversity and recalls the right of Inuit to the natural resources in their traditional areas. Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) unites 41 indigenous groups whose total population

3030-581: The Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arcticregion . At present, eight countries exercise sovereignty over the lands within the Arctic Circle , and these constitute the member states of the council: Canada; Denmark; Finland; Iceland; Norway; Russia; Sweden; and the United States. Other countries or national groups can be admitted as observer states, while organizations representing

3131-687: The Arctic Council Working Groups. A Governing Board, chosen from among the six indigenous peoples' groups that are permanent participants, directs the work of IPS and approves its annual work agenda. Permanent participants choose the Chair of the Governing Board, a position that rotates among the six indigenous groups. The current Chair, Ethel Blake , representing Gwich'in Council International , assumed

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3232-704: The Arctic Ocean including, notably, the Law of the Sea , and that this framework provides a solid foundation for responsible management of this ocean". Pending observer states need to request permission for their presence at each individual meeting; such requests are routine and most of them are granted. At the 2013 Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna , Sweden — the European Union (EU) requested full observer status. It

3333-751: The Council of Yukon First Nations , representing eleven Yukon First Nations ; the Dene Nation , representing 30 First Nations in the Northwest Territories and northern Manitoba; and Northwest Territory Métis Nation, representing 13 communities in the Northwest Territories . In total, Arctic Athabaskan founding member governments represent approximately 32,000 indigenous peoples of Athabaskan descent residing in Arctic and Sub-Arctic North America. As more member governments from both

3434-822: The Inuvik Region in the Northwest Territories. In total, the Gwich'in Council International founding members represent approximately 9,000 indigenous peoples of Gwich'in descent. The GCI Secretariat rotates between the Gwich'in Tribal Council in Inuvik, NWT and the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Crow, Yukon. The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) is a transnational non-governmental organization representing 150,000 Inuit people across

3535-686: The Montreal Protocol ) at 1990 levels, by 2000. The ultimate objective of the Framework Convention is specified in Article 2: "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] interference with the climate system". Article 2 of the convention says this "should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production

3636-546: The UN Campus in Bonn , Germany. The convention's main objective is explained in Article 2. It is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] interference with the climate system ". The treaty calls for continuing scientific research into the climate. This research supports meetings and negotiations to lead to agreements. The aim

3737-487: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro (known by its popular title, the Earth Summit ). On 12 June 1992, 154 nations signed the UNFCCC, which upon ratification committed signatories' governments to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases with the goal of "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth's climate system". This commitment would require substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (see

3838-627: The rise in global temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above levels before the Industrial Revolution , and even aiming to hold it at 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). The Paris Agreement superseded the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol which had been signed in 1997 and ran from 2005 to 2020. By 2022, the UNFCCC had 198 parties. Its supreme decision-making body, the Conference of the Parties (COP) , meets every year. Other meetings at

3939-521: The scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and that human-made CO 2 emissions are driving it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto , Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There were 192 parties ( Canada withdrew from the protocol, effective December 2012) to the Protocol in 2020. The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to reduce

4040-582: The Arctic had been extremely limited. The only outstanding land dispute was between Canada and Denmark, the Whisky War , over Hans Island , which was resolved in the summer of 2022 with agreement to split the island in half. There are oceanic claims between the United States and Canada in the Beaufort Sea . The major territorial disputes are over exclusive rights to the seabed under the central Arctic high seas. Due to climate change and melting of

4141-493: The Arctic Council as first non-Arctic Latin American observer. Seven of the eight-member states, excluding Iceland, have indigenous communities living in their Arctic areas. Organizations of Arctic Indigenous Peoples can obtain the status of Permanent Participant to the Arctic Council, but only if they represent either one indigenous group residing in more than one Arctic State, or two or more Arctic indigenous peoples groups in

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4242-507: The Arctic Council remains in the hands of the eight-member states, on the basis of consensus. As of 2023, six Arctic indigenous communities have Permanent Participant status. These groups are represented by However prominent the role of indigenous peoples, the Permanent Participant status does not confer any legal recognition as peoples. The Ottawa Declaration, the Arctic Council's founding document, explicitly states (in

4343-485: The Arctic Council should cover peace-building issues. Paul Berkman suggests that solving security matters in the Arctic Council could save members the much larger amount of time required to reach a decision in United Nations . However, as of June 2014, military security matters are often avoided. The focus on science and resource protection and management is seen as a priority, which could be diluted or strained by

4444-924: The Arctic Parliamentarians, International Union for Conservation of Nature , the International Red Cross Federation , the Nordic Council , the Northern Forum, United Nations Development Programme , United Nations Environment Programme ; the Association of World Reindeer Herders , Oceana , the University of the Arctic , and the World Wide Fund for Nature -Arctic Programme. The Arctic Council convenes every six months somewhere in

4545-503: The Arctic and developing their building infrastructure. However, some say that the Arctic Council facilitates stability despite possible conflicts among member states. Norwegian Admiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen has suggested that the Arctic is "probably the most stable area in the world". They say that laws are well established and followed. Member states think that the sharing cost of the development of Arctic shipping-lanes, research, etc., by cooperation and good relationships between states

4646-541: The Arctic sea-ice, more energy resources and waterways are now becoming accessible. Large reserves of oil, gas and minerals are located within the Arctic. This environmental factor generated territorial disputes among member states. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows states to extend their exclusive right to exploit resources on and in the continental shelf if they can prove that seabed more than 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) from baselines

4747-430: The Arctic, they all have status of permanent participants in the Arctic Council The Aleut International Association (AIA) represents Aleut on the Russian and American Aleutian, Pribilof and Commander Islands . It is an Alaska Native not-for-profit corporation, 501(c)(3), registered in the State of Alaska, United States of America, in 1998. AIA was formed by the Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Association, U.S. (one of

4848-411: The Chair's country for a Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) meeting. SAOs are high-level representatives from the eight-member nations. Sometimes they are ambassadors, but often they are senior foreign ministry officials entrusted with staff-level coordination. Representatives of the six Permanent Participants and the official Observers also are in attendance. At the end of the two-year cycle, the Chair hosts

4949-399: The Circumpolar North. The ICC began originally as an Inuit Circumpolar Conference, first held in 1977, and gradually evolved to become a Council in the 10th General Assembly meeting of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference in 2006 in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The ICC represents today four different Inuit regional organizations in Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Russia: The principal objective of the ICC

5050-404: The Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakesh focused on these Nationally Determined Contributions and their implementation, after the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016. As of 2022, the UNFCCC has 198 parties including all United Nations member states , United Nations General Assembly observers the State of Palestine and the Holy See , UN non-member states Niue and

5151-427: The Conference of the Parties. Subsidiary bodies include: A "National Communication" is a type of report submitted by the countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Developed countries are required to submit National Communications every four years and developing countries should do so. Some Least Developed Countries have not submitted National Communications in

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5252-415: The Conferences also served as the Meetings of Parties of the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) and since 2016 the Conferences also serve as Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). The first conference (COP1) was held in 1995 in Berlin. The 3rd conference (COP3) was held in Kyoto and resulted in the Kyoto protocol, which was amended during the 2012 Doha Conference (COP18, CMP 8). The COP21 (CMP11) conference

5353-422: The Convention related to financial resources and transfer of technology and will take fully into account that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of the developing country Parties. The Convention specifies the aim of Annex I Parties was stabilizing their greenhouse gas emissions ( carbon dioxide and other anthropogenic greenhouse gases not regulated under

5454-421: The North Russia. The Saami Council is a non-governmental Saami organization (NGO), with member organizations in Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden. Since its foundation in 1956 the Saami Council has actively dealt with Saami policy tasks. The primary aims of the Saami Council are the promotion of Saami rights and interests in the four countries having Saami population, to consolidate the feeling of affinity among

5555-457: The Northwest Passage arouses substantial public concern in Canada. A poll indicated that half of Canadian respondents said Canada should try to assert its full sovereignty rights over the Beaufort Sea compared to just 10 percent of Americans. New commercial trans- Arctic shipping routes can be another factor of conflicts. A poll found that Canadians perceive the Northwest Passage as their internal Canadian waterway whereas other countries assert it

5656-475: The Paris Agreement to reach its climate goals is also under debate, especially with regards to its more ambitious goal of keeping the global temperature rise to under 1.5 °C. The IPCC 's First Assessment Report appeared in 1990. The report gave a broad overview of climate change science and the scientific consensus to date . It discussed uncertainties and provided evidence of warming. The authors said they are certain that greenhouse gases are increasing in

5757-401: The Parties (COPs) have discussed how to achieve the treaty's aims. From 2010 to 2016 the head of the secretariat was Christiana Figueres , following by Patricia Espinosa who was appointed Executive Secretary on 18 May 2016 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and took office on 18 July 2016. Espinosa retired on 16 July 2022. UN Under Secretary General Ibrahim Thiaw served as

5858-648: The Parties. These include the Bali Action Plan (2007), the Copenhagen Accord (2009), the Cancún agreements (2010), and the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (2012). As part of the Bali Action Plan, adopted in 2007, all developed country Parties have agreed to "quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives, while ensuring the comparability of efforts among them, taking into account differences in their national circumstances". Developing country Parties agreed to "[nationally] appropriate mitigation actions context of sustainable development , supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, in

5959-495: The Passage. Russia's claims over the Northern Sea Route are significantly different. Russia only claims small segments of the Northern Sea Route around straits as internal waters. However, Russia requires all commercial vessels to request and obtain permission to navigate in a large area of the Russian Arctic exclusive economic zone under Article 234 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which grants coastal states greater powers over ice-covered waters. Canadian sovereignty over

6060-455: The Saami people, to attain recognition for the Saami as one nation and to promote economic, social and cultural rights of the Saami in the legislation of the four states, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Finland. The Saami Council renders opinions and makes proposals on questions concerning Saami people's rights, language and culture. Arctic Council The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by

6161-439: The UNFCCC. These plans were compiled with those made as part of the Bali Action Plan. At the 2021 annual meeting UNFCCC launched the 'UN Race-to-Zero Emissions Breakthroughs'. The aim of the campaign is to transform 20 sectors of the economy in order to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions. At least 20% of each sector should take specific measures, and 10 sectors should be transformed before COP 26 in Glasgow. According to

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6262-457: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to the agreement. Of the three UNFCCC member states which have not ratified the agreement, the only major emitter is Iran . The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2020, but rejoined in 2021. In addition to the Kyoto Protocol (and its amendment) and the Paris Agreement, parties to the Convention have agreed to further commitments during UNFCCC Conferences of

6363-435: The United States (Alaska) and Canada join, this number is expected to increase to approximately 40,000. The Gwich'in Council International (GCI) was established as a non-profit organization in 1999 by the Gwich'in Tribal Council in Inuvik, NWT, to ensure all regions of the Gwich'in Nation in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska are represented at the Arctic Council, as well as to play an active and significant role in

6464-408: The United States declared that they will not attend meetings of the Arctic Council under Russian chairmanship because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine . The same countries issued a second statement on June 8, 2022 that declared their intent to resume cooperation on a limited number of previously approved Arctic Council projects that do not involve Russian leadership or participation. The council

6565-416: The acting Executive Secretary in the interim. On 15 August 2022, Secretary-General António Guterres appointed former Grenadian climate minister Simon Stiell as Executive Secretary, replacing Espinosa. Current and former executive secretaries are: The reports published by IPCC play a key role in the annual climate negotiations held by the UNFCCC. For example, the UNFCCC invited the IPCC to prepare

6666-443: The atmosphere because of human activity. This is resulting in more warming of the Earth 's surface. The report led to the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The text of the Convention was produced during the meeting of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in New York from 30 April to 9 May 1992. The Convention was adopted on 9 May 1992 and opened for signature on 4 June 1992 at

6767-462: The baseline is for these temperature targets (e.g., relative to pre-industrial or 1990 temperatures). According to the UNFCCC, these targets are relative to pre-industrial temperatures. 114 countries agreed to the Accord. The UNFCCC secretariat notes that "Some Parties ... stated in their communications to the secretariat specific understandings on the nature of the Accord and related matters, based on which they have agreed to [the Accord]." The Accord

6868-609: The basis of the Paris Agreement are shorter and less detailed but also follow a standardized structure and are subject to technical review by experts. At the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties in Warsaw in 2013, the UNFCCC created a mechanism for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to be submitted in the run up to the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties in Paris (COP21) in 2015. Countries were given freedom and flexibility to ensure that these climate change mitigation and adaptation plans were nationally appropriate. This flexibility, especially regarding

6969-471: The commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $ 100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible." This target only has one indicator: Indicator 13.a

7070-416: The concerns of indigenous peoples can be admitted as indigenous permanent participants. The first step towards the formation of the Council occurred in 1991 when the eight Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS). The 1996 Ottawa Declaration established the Arctic Council as a forum for promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic states, with

7171-452: The current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation , adaptation , and finance . The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris , France. As of February 2023, 195 members of

7272-789: The development of policies that relate to the Circumpolar Arctic. GCI has a number of priorities that relate to the environment, youth, culture and tradition, social and economic development and education. The founding members of GCI includes six Alaskan Gwich'in communities ( Arctic Village , Chalkyitsik , Fort Yukon , Birch , Circle and Venetie ), two Gwich'in representative bodies in Canada - Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation representing Vuntut Gwitchin in Old Crow, Yukon , and Gwich'in Tribal Council representing four communities in

7373-459: The discussion of geopolitical security issues. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international treaty among countries to combat "dangerous human interference with the climate system ". The main way to do this

7474-423: The eight Arctic states must adapt to this new future". The council is often in the middle of security and geopolitical issues since the Arctic has peculiar interests to Member States and Observers. Changes in the Arctic environment and participants of the Arctic Council have led to a reconsideration of the relationship between geopolitical matters and the role of the Arctic Council. Disputes over land and ocean in

7575-782: The executive secretary for the Indigenous Peoples´ Secretariat. Arctic Council working groups document Arctic problems and challenges such as sea ice loss, glacier melting , tundra thawing, increase of mercury in food chains , and ocean acidification affecting the entire marine ecosystem . Before signing the Ottawa Declaration, a footnote was added stating; "The Arctic Council should not deal with matters related to military security". In 2019, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that circumstances had changed and "the region has become an arena for power and for competition. And

7676-558: The great Bering Sea and the North Pacific. Today, not only does the Aleut community share the resources of the region but the environmental problems as well. The need to understand global processes, such as trans-boundary contaminants transport, the impacts of climate change, and the effects of commercial fisheries on the ecosystem of the Bering Sea to name a few, was an impetus in joining in the work of international fora. The AIA

7777-617: The involvement of the Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on issues such as sustainable development and environmental protection . The Arctic Council has conducted studies on climate change , oil and gas, and Arctic shipping. In 2011, the Council member states concluded the Arctic Search and Rescue Agreement , the first binding treaty concluded under the council's auspices. On March 3, 2022, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and

7878-512: The later section, "Stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations" ). Parties to the Convention have met annually from 1995 in Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to assess progress in dealing with climate change . Article 3(1) of the Convention states that Parties should act to protect the climate system on the basis of "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities", and that developed country Parties should "take

7979-463: The lead" in addressing climate change. Under Article 4, all Parties make general commitments to address climate change through, for example, climate change mitigation and adapting to the eventual impacts of climate change. Article 4(7) states: The extent to which developing country Parties will effectively implement their commitments under the Convention will depend on the effective implementation by developed country Parties of their commitments under

8080-660: The media and with the public. It put the 1.5 °C target at the center of climate activism . The United Nations Climate Change Conference are yearly conferences held in the framework of the UNFCCC. They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties ( Conferences of the Parties ) (COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2005

8181-491: The meetings. They may raise points of order that require an immediate decision by the chairman. Agendas of Ministerial Meetings need to be consulted beforehand with them; they may propose supplementary agenda items. When calling the biannual meetings of Senior Arctic Officials, the Permanent Participants must have been consulted beforehand. Moreover, though only states have a right to vote in the Arctic Council,

8282-588: The nature of the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage / Northern Sea Route . Canada claims the entire Northwest Passage are Canadian Internal Waters , which means Canada would have total control over which ships may enter the channel. The United States believes the Passage is an international strait , which would mean any ship could transit at any time , and Canada could not close

8383-735: The objectives of the Arctic Council and to assist them to develop their internal capacity to participate and intervene in Council meetings, the Council provides financial support to the Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat (IPS). The IPS board decides on the allocation of the funds. The IPS was established in 1994 under the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS). It was based in Copenhagen until 2016 when it relocated to Tromsø . In September 2017, Anna Degteva replaced Elle Merete Omma as

8484-545: The onset of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to "a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" (Article 2). The Kyoto Protocol applied to the seven greenhouse gases listed in Annex A: carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) , methane (CH 4 ) , nitrous oxide (N 2 O) , hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) , nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) . Nitrogen trifluoride

8585-465: The organizers, 20% is a tipping point, after which the whole sector begins to irreversibly change. At Berlin, Cancún, and Durban, the development needs of developing country parties were reiterated. For example, the Durban Platform reaffirms that: [...] social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing country Parties, and that

8686-538: The past 5–15 years, largely due to capacity constraints. National Communication reports are often several hundred pages long and cover a country's measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions as well as a description of its vulnerabilities and impacts from climate change. National Communications are prepared according to guidelines that have been agreed by the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. The (Intended) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that form

8787-611: The permanent participants must, according to the Ottawa Declaration be fully consulted, which is close to de facto power of veto should they all reject a particular proposal. This mandatory consultation process matches the consultation and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) requirement mentioned in the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples . Finally, Permanent Participants may propose cooperative activities, such as projects. All this makes

8888-549: The pivotal factor for everyone to understand and participate in solving the challenges presented by climate change. ACE calls on governments to develop and implement educational and public awareness programmes, train scientific, technical and managerial personnel, foster access to information, and promote public participation in addressing climate change and its effects. It also urges countries to cooperate in this process, by exchanging good practices and lessons learned, and strengthening national institutions. This wide scope of activities

8989-423: The position of Arctic indigenous peoples within the Arctic Council quite influential compared to the (often marginal) role of such peoples in other international governmental fora. The status of "permanent participant" is indeed unique and enables circumpolar peoples to be seated at the same table as states' delegations while in any other international organization it is not the case. Nevertheless, decision-making in

9090-874: The regional and technical level take place throughout the year. The Paris Agreement mandates a review or " global stocktake " of progress towards meetings its goals every five years. The first of these took place at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2023. The treaty sets out responsibilities for three categories of states. These are developed countries , developed countries with special financial responsibilities, and developing countries . The developed countries are called Annex I countries. At first there were 38 of them. Annex I countries should adopt national policies and take corresponding measures to limit their emissions of greenhouse gases . They should also report on steps for returning individually or jointly to their 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels. It

9191-695: The thirteen regional not-for-profit Alaska Native corporations created as a result of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971), and the Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the North of the Aleut District of the Kamchatka Region of the Russian Federation (AIPNADKR). AIA is governed by a Board of Directors composed of four Alaskan and four Russian Aleuts under the leadership of a president. The current president

9292-574: The three successive Scandinavian Chairs, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. This temporary Secretariat had a staff of three. In 2012, the Council moved towards creating a permanent secretariat in Tromsø, Norway. It is costly for the Permanent participants to be represented at every Council meeting, especially since they take place across the entire circumpolar realm. To enhance the capacity of the PPs to pursue

9393-629: The two-year post in 2017; the previous incumbent was Tommy Pedersen of the Saami Council , who had held the post since 2009. The working language for meetings of the IPS is English ; official communications, however, are published in both English and Russian . The Executive Secretary is responsible for daily operations and for directing IPS staff. Workplace rules and regulations, as well as accounting and auditing procedures, follow Danish law . There are six indigenous peoples organizations covering

9494-465: The types of actions to be undertaken, allowed for developing countries to tailor their plans to their specific adaptation and mitigation needs, as well as towards other needs. In the aftermath of COP21, these INDCs became Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as each country ratified the Paris Agreement, unless a new NDC was submitted to the UNFCCC at the same time. The 22nd session of

9595-492: The work of the Arctic Council and its working groups. • Helping Permanent Participants to present their views to the Arctic Council and its Working Groups. • Collecting and communicating information about the Arctic Council and its results to the Indigenous Peoples in the various parts of the Arctic. • Providing co-ordination for the Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations to meet with each other, and to participate in

9696-475: The work of the council's five Working Groups. Arctic Council members agreed to action points on protecting the Arctic but most have never materialized. Chairmanship of the Council rotates every two years. The current chair is Norway, which serves until the Ministerial meeting in 2025. Norway, Denmark, and Sweden have agreed on a set of common priorities for the three chairmanships. They also agreed to

9797-459: The working groups is not always possible, but this poses few problems as few observer states want to participate at such a detailed level. As of 2021 , observer states included: In 2011, the Council clarified its criteria for admission of observers, most notably including a requirement of applicants to "recognize Arctic States' sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Arctic" and "recognize that an extensive legal framework applies to

9898-489: Was added for the second compliance period during the Doha Round. The Protocol was based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities: it acknowledged that individual countries have different capabilities in combating climate change, owing to economic development , and therefore placed the obligation to reduce current emissions on developed countries on the basis that they are historically responsible for

9999-536: Was held in Paris in 2015 and resulted in adoption of the Paris Agreement . COP28 took place in the United Arab Emirates in 2023 and included the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement. The UAE nominated Sultan al-Jaber , who is also head of Abu Dhabi's national oil company ADNOC , to preside over COP28. Azerbaijan will host COP29 in 2024. A subsidiary body is a committee that assists

10100-649: Was not formally adopted by the Conference of the Parties. Instead, the COP "took note of the Copenhagen Accord." As part of the Accord, 17 developed country Parties and the EU-27 submitted mitigation targets, as did 45 developing country Parties. Some developing country Parties noted the need for international support in their plans. As part of the Cancún agreements, developed and developing countries submitted mitigation plans to

10201-553: Was not granted, mostly because the members do not agree with the EU ban on hunting seals. Although the European Union has a specific Arctic policy and is active in the region, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine prevents it from reconsidering its status within the Arctic Council. The role of observers was re-evaluated, as were the criteria for admission. As a result, the distinction between permanent and ad hoc observers were dropped. In 2023, Brazil expressed their interest for joining

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