CONFERENCE
OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC REGION
THE
STANDING COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC
REGION
MEETING
IN BRUSSELS
25
FEBRUARY 2009
9
am – 12.30 pm
Venue:
ASP Building A 3 E 3
Draft minutes
1.ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND THE PROPOSED
ORDER OF AGENDA ITEMS
APPROVAL OF DRAFT MINUTES FROM THE
SCPAR-MEETING IN ÖSTERSUND 5 NOVEMBER 2008
Decision:
The minutes from the SCPAR-meeting in
Østersund were approved and the agenda with the proposed order of agenda items
was adopted.
2.THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE ARCTIC COUNCIL
MINISTERIAL MEETING IN TROMSØ 28-29 APRIL 2009
State Secretary Elisabeth Walaas
informed the Committee about the developments of the Norwegian Chairmanship of
the Arctic Council and the preparations for the Ministerial meeting in Tromsø
29 April 2009.
Ms Walaas started by pointing out that
the sense of Arctic as a remote and distant region is about to change. Climate
change also changes the Arctic, and the Arctic change influence the rest of the
world.
The changes we see are of of physical, ecological, social and economic character.
The changes especially influence the indigenous peoples living in the Arctic
and have devastating consequences for polar bears.
How are we to deal with the changes and
challenges? The long term answer is mitigation and to reduce CO2 emissions. The
future of the Arctic is very dependent of a need a successful CoP 15 in
December this year. There are plans to give substantial input to CoP 15 about
the consequences of climate change in the Arctic. The day in advance of the
ministerial meeting the 28 April in Tromsø, there will be a seminar on the
melting ice: “Melting Ice – Regional Dramas, Global
Wake-Up Call”. The seminar will be hosted by the
Norwegian minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Støre, and former Vice-President Al
Gore. A message on melting ice will go from this seminar to CoP 15.
Ms Walass underlined the need to deal
with the short term consequences of climate change.
The United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Seas, UNCLOS, provides an adequate legal framework as it also
applies to the Arctic Ocean. This was confirmed in the Ilulissat – declaration,
by the five coastal states, as it underlines the need implement current
legislation in a better way instead of creating a new legal framework.
The Arctic Council is the only
circumpolar forum for intergovernmental cooperation.
Norway the current chair, Denmark and
Sweden are to follow. A common platform has been established which include an
AC secretariat in Tromsø for the three chairmanships.
Climate change, integrated resource
management, and the efficiency of the Arctic Council have been the main
priorities under the Norwegian Chairmanship. Among the issues which result will
addressed at the Ministerial meeting are:
1. The Arctic Council has undertaken a
lot of projects to look at the issues of climate change, and their
implications. A major project focuses on status/consequences of the retreat of
the sea ice, the melting of the Greenland ice-sheet and the reductions of the
permafrost and snow cover. These are all major Arctic developments that also
have global consequences.
2. The newly revised guidelines for
Arctic oil and gas exploration, recalls existing obligations and define certain
minimum procedures and standards, leaving it to the states concerned to go
beyond if required.
3. Increased maritime transportation in
the High North requires strengthen maritime safety measures and oil spill
prevention, preparedness and control. Several Arctic Council projects address
these issues.
4. The Arctic Council has just
finalized a comprehensive study on oil and gas activities in the Arctic,
including an executive summary with a number of recommendations.
5. The Council is also about to
finalize a report on best practices in ocean management in the Arctic.
6. Let me also mention the need to
strengthen the need within the Council to strengthen the co-operation on search
and rescue. Russia and the US have taken important initiatives which will be
considered.
There are also efforts to make the
Arctic Council more political. Finally there is a project on the political
heritage of the International Polar Year – to use the information for more
political work and cooperation.
In order to keep and strengthen the
Arctic Council as the relevant forum for political cooperation in the
circumpolar North, there is ongoing work to better involve the increasing
number of observers to the Arctic Council in the work of the Council.
The increase in number of observers is
an asset and Norway welcomes the increased interest in the work of the Arctic
Council.
Ms Walaas wanted to get the observers
more active role of the observers in the Working Groups under the Arctic
Council and different projects. The question of the role of the observers to
the Arctic Council will also be discussed at the ministerial meeting in Tromsø.
Ms Solberg pointed out that much of the
work in the Arctic Council well reflects the work done in the parliamentary
cooperation.
When the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment was presented in 2004, they did not foresee the rapid changes which
are actually about to happen. The changes take place at a much quicker pace. Ms
Solberg also expressed satisfaction concerning the work to get the political
level in the Arctic Council to meet more frequent.
Several members of the Committee
further underlined the importance of implementing the existing legal framework
relevant for the Arctic instead of creating new.
Mr. Bagnell informed about the
discussion in Canada of creating a new category of refugees, climate refugees.
Mr. Baer underlined the role of the
Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council where they participate at an
almost equal footing. He pointed at the need of funding the activities, but
that it had worked reasonably well so far.
The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment
is a very important deliverable for the Ministerial meeting and the contact
with IMO will be crucial in the implementation of the assessment.
In order to keep the Arctic Council the
most important arena of cooperation on Arctic issues, it has to be relevant and
continue to create and deliver high quality science and knowledge about Arctic
issues. We should also use the knowledge in other international forums. This
will in time lead to higher political relevance to the Arctic Council.
Decision:
The Committee took note of the
information provided by State Secretary Elisabeth Walaas.
3.REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
IPY-PROJECT “SUSTAINING ARCTIC OBSERVERING NETWORK” (SAON)
Mr. Lars Otto
Reiersen, Executive Secretary of AMAP (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment
Program) introduced SAON to the Committee.
SAON is about how to secure the network
created under the IPY to continue to get data on the development in the Arctic.
A set of 5 recommendations have been
proposed and among these is a proposal to establish an Arctic Observing Forum.
There is a need for better coordination of the different observing activities,
both nationally and internationally. National interagency groups should be
established.
The Arctic Council and the Arctic
Council member states need to take the lead.
Mr. Reiersen further welcome the
observers to the Arctic Council to be a part of the SAON – project. A draft
Terms of Reference is drafted and will be on the agenda for the ministerial
meeting in April.
Everyone is welcome to take part in the
Arctic Observing Forum and the Arctic Council and IASC (International Arctic
Science Committee) will call the first meeting.
On question from the Committee Mr. Reiersen
was unsure if there were any money left from the International Polar Year for
future projects, but some of the IPY-projects will continue through this year.
The end of the IPY is being marked today (25 February 2009) in Geneva.
Decision:
The Committee took note of the
information
4.PRESENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ARCTIC POLICY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Ms Bilyana Raeva, MEP, introduced the
work done by the European Parliament on the development of an Arctic Policy in
the EU. In the development of the Northern Dimension the European Parliament
has been passed several resolutions to influence the development.
The resolution from the European
Parliament last October on Arctic Governance reflects well the issues, the
discussions and the statement from the Arctic parliamentary conference in
Fairbanks.
Indigenous peoples, fisheries, maritime
issues and the need for an international treaty to protect the Arctic are among
the topics in the resolution. The resolution was supported by all party groups
in the parliament.
The Arctic region is a priority area
for the parliament. European Neighborhood policy is the platform for
cooperation with countries outside of the EU. The Arctic cooperation needs to
include countries outside the Arctic as they are influencing the Arctic and
also very influenced by what is taking place in the Arctic.
The European Parliament encourages the
Commission to become observers in the Arctic Council, and to establish an
Arctic desk in the Commission.
Mr. Janos Herman Principal Adviser of
DG RELEX for Regional Policy, presented the Communication from the Commission
on the Arctic. He opened by stating that the Arctic is important for the EU and
the EU is important for the Arctic.
EU has developed a number of global
policies influencing the Arctic, for instance on energy, maritime, climate. The
aim is to take all this and develop a document for a comprehensive Arctic
policy and better coordinate the EU relevant Arctic policies.
The overarching aim of the Arctic
policy is to protect the environment.
The three headlines in the policy are:
·Indigenous peoples
·Sustainable use of resources
·Multilateral governance
According to Mr. Herman there are two
delicate balances:
1.Exploitation vs. conservation
The proposal from the Commission aims
at exploiting the resources in a sustainable way.
2.New treaties vs. existing regulation
The Commission will focus on
implementing the existing regulations first, but also look at the possibilities
for adjusting the existing set of international regulations. The United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) will be the legal base, and there is
a need to see how it can be better implemented.
This is slightly different position
from the position of the European Parliament.
Security aspects in developing an
Arctic policy are also relevant as a consequence of climate change.
The Northern Dimension will be
important and the main framework in the European Arctic. The Arctic policy will
be circumpolar and we will need to bring the Arctic into the Northern Dimension.
The Commission will be an observer to
the Arctic Council and contribute to the work. The EU as a whole is today the
world’s largest contributor to Arctic science and research.
Finally Mr. Herman informed that the
Communication is now being discussed and by fall the Council will adopt new and
more detailed conclusions. By the last part of this year the Commission will
start implementing the recommendations.
After the intervention of Mr. Herman,
several members of the Committee raised the issue of seal hunting and the
proposal to ban seal products in the European Union. The members from Denmark
and Canada pointed at the importance seal hunt and sale of seal products for
the indigenous peoples and other northerners. A ban on seal products in the
European Union could have devastating effects for these people. There is a lack
of understanding of sustainability in the EU regarding these matters.
Mr. Herman pointed out the many special
rules for indigenous peoples living on the territory of EU and the exemption
from the proposed ban of seal products for subsistence hunt.
However, many EU citizens support
animal welfare, especially the seals. The EU will need to find the balance
between subsistence hunt and the selling of these products and views of the
supporters of animal welfare. The Commission has tried to take the views of
Greenland into account, especially on seals and whales. They are still looking
at this and try to mitigate the views.
Mr. Baer was glad the Commission
supported the UN declaration on indigenous peoples. He expressed hope that EU
will support traditional subsistence also in the future.
Mr. Sulyandziga underlined the need to
create bodies in the Commission to deal with Northern Dimension issues and
especially indigenous peoples issues.
Regarding
the disagreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on the need
of a new treaty for the Arctic, Ms Raeva pointed out that parliaments from time
to time disagrees with governments and that the discussion will continue. Mr.
Herman used fisheries as an example where there is a need to complement the
existing regime. New areas which were previously covered by ice needs to be
covered by agreements.
Decision:
The Committee took note of the
information.
3.PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY
FORUM FOR THE NORTHERN DIMENSION
Mr. Henrik Olsen presented an updated
program for the first Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum.
Ms. Raeva will chair the drafting
committee.
Decision:
The Committee took note of the
information and appointed Mr. Nikolaev to represent the
Committee in the Drafting Committee.
4.DISCUSSION ON THE “RULES OF PROCEDURE” OF
SCPAR
Ms. Solberg presented the report
prepared by the Secretary General and the process so far.
The members of the Committee generally
supported the idea of electing a Vice-Chair of the Committee.
With regards to involvement of the
observers in the Arctic parliamentary cooperation, some members voiced their
opinion in favor of limiting the number of new observers participating at the
meeting of SCPAR. The total number of observers should not exceed the number of
members of SCPAR, and its important to keep the SCPAR-meeting relatively small.
Decision:
The Committee continues the discussion
at the next meeting.
5.STATUS OF THE WORK OF SCPAR
Juliane Henningsen,
Denmark/Greenland
In Greenland, 2008 will be remembered
under the sign of Self-Governance. After four years of negotiations, the Joint
Danish –Greenlandic Commission on Self-Government finished its work. All
political parties in Greenland and Denmark, except one, have signed the
agreement.
In November the people in Greenland
voted on the new law of Self-rule. Almost 72 percent of the electorate voted.
75.5 percent of the electorate voted ’yes’, while 23.5 percent voted ‘no’.
The new agreement entails that the
people in Greenland is being recognised as a people in accordance with
international law, the new Home rule-government will have a greater say over
Greenlandic affairs, and Greenlandic becomes the official language of
Greenland.
The constitution, foreign affairs,
defence and security policy, the Supreme Court and currency and money policy
will still be a matter for the Danish state.
The new agreement will be inaugurated
on 21 June 2009 – on the National Day of Greenland.
Greenland is also going from having 18
municipalities to 4 big municipalities. Rationalising and reducing the
municipal administrative system to 4 municipalities will result in the
reduction of costs and in the improvement of services to the public.
This spring Denmark/ Greenland and the
Faroe Islands will take on the chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The
parliament of Denmark will be host of an Arctic conference 31 March where the
Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Per Stig Møller will present the chairmanship
program.
Finally Denmark will be hosting CoP 15
in December 2009.
Mr. James Bezan, Canada
Ms Leona Aglukkaq, an Inuit, was named
the minister of health in the new Canadian Government.
With regards to sovereignty issues
there will be stronger control in domestic waters through more frequent patrol
and surveillance, and improved search and rescue. The mapping of the
continental shelf will continue.
On economic and social development a
new regional development agency will be established. The Northern Housing Trust
will get 200 [million] Canadian Dollars in addition to the existing 300
[million]. Half of it will go to Nunavut.
Money has been provided to conduct a
feasibility study to establish a new Arctic research station.
A new act to prevent pollution in
Arctic waters and restrictions on dumping waste water the Arctic waters has
been tabled in the parliament.
Mr.
Kari Høygaard, President of the West-Nordic Council
The
importance of education for unskilled workers will be theme of the West-Nordic
Conference in Greenland in June. A representative of SCPAR invited to
participate at the Conference.
The presidium of the West-Nordic
Council met with a delegation from the European Parliament 24 February 2009,
where the proposed banning of seal skin in the European Union was discussed.
The West-Nordic Council finds this proposal unacceptable as seal hunt is an
important part of the livelihood and culture of the Inuit people in Greenland.
Mr. Lars Anders Baer, President of
the Saami Parliamentary Council
The process concerning the Nordic Saami
Convention continues. There is currently a discussion to agree on the rules of
procedure for the negotiations.
Negotiations have also started to
establish a Saami parliament in Russia.
Finally there will be a Royal wedding
in Sweden in 2010.
Mr. Karl V. Matthiasson, Iceland
In 2009 Iceland chairs the Nordic
Council of Ministers and will initiate for a large number of cooperation
projects during the Presidency, including a mapping exercise of the vulnerable
areas of the North Atlantic, a coordinated effort to protect the marine
eco-systems, and establishing an environmental contingency planning in the
North Atlantic.
Cooperation with the Nordic Region´s
neighbours to the west is also a key priority for Iceland, with emphasis on the
Arctic and climate research.
A new Icelandic Government of the
Social Democratic Alliance and the Left-Green Movement took office on February
1st. Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir from the Social Democrats
has annouched that the new coalition will focus on restarting the economy and
protecting the households. The new coalition will emphasize a responsible
economic management.
The economic policy of the Government
will be based on the programme already established by the authorities and the
International Monetary Fund, IMF.
Election is set for 25 April 2009.
Mr. Pavel
Sulyandziga, First Vice-President of RAIPON
The RAIPON congress will take place the
22 April 2009 and will address the situation of the indigenous peoples.
At the UN permanent forum for indigenous
people in May, half a day will be used for a discussion of the relationship
between the indigenous peoples in the Arctic and the governments in the Arctic
Council cooperation.
Mrs. Irina Yarovaya, Russia
Representing Kamchatka, the support and
protection of indigenous population is important.
There is a discussion about this at a
federal and local level, and there are bodies established to protect the
indigenous peoples in the North.
Development of the North is a priority
of the Russian development and we need find the right balance of different
aspects when developing the North.
In the strategy of Russian state policy
until 2020, the Arctic is considered important.
Good to have meetings around the Arctic
to get
Ms Hill-Marta Solberg, Norway
A white paper on Svalbard will be
presented to the Norwegian parliament this spring.
6.NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Committee will
be in Greenland, Ilulissat 27 May 2009.
A special program on climate change will
be arranged for 28 May 2009.
7.ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The Committee took note of the enclosed
US Arctic Policy Directive from January 2009.
There was no other business.
APPENDIX II
Notes
for an address by
Mr.
James Bezan
Member
of Parliament for Selkirk-Interlake
to
First
Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum
Brussels,
Belgium
February
25-26, 2009
Check
against delivery
Thank you for your kind introduction.
It’s an honour for me to participate in this important forum. I truly appreciate
the opportunity to participate in this forum on behalf of the Parliament of
Canada and wish to thank the Northern Dimension members for your ongoing
interest and continued efforts on Arctic issues.
Although I am not from northern Canada,
I have always had a connection and passion for the Canadian Northland. My
grandfather, a Scottish immigrant, and my grandmother, worked as fur traders
for 20 years for the Hudson Bay Company. Almost all of those 20 years were
spent in the eastern Arctic where my mother was born and raised.
And, although my home province of
Manitoba is south of 60 degrees latitude, the north part of the province is
classified as sub-Arctic and is home to the declining Western Hudson Bay polar
bear population. As Chair of the Standing Committee on Environment and
Sustainable Development in the Canadian House of Commons, one of the issues I
am tackling this spring is the current situation for species at risk in Canada;
and of course our committee will be reviewing the status of polar bears,
caribou and other Arctic flora and fauna.
But today colleagues, I wish to talk
about what’s happening in Canada and assist in the debate and advancement of
the Northern Dimension. I’d like to provide a brief overview of Canada’s
Northern Strategy and how our Government is implementing it. Canada’s North is
defined in our Constitution as the Territories lying above 60 degrees
latitude. At more than four million square kilometres, it is nearly half the
size of Europe. And while Aboriginal peoples have lived
in the North for generations upon generations, more and more people from
Southern Canada and the rest of the world are making the North their home.
Canada’s North defines us as a people
and Canada has effectively exercised its exclusive authority over the Canadian
Arctic for well over a century. The North, including islands lying within the
Arctic Circle – what many call the far North – is a fundamental part of our
Canadian identity. The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, our Prime Minister,
described it this way in a speech last year:
We are a Northern
country. The True North is our destiny – for our explorers, for our
entrepreneurs, for our artists. To not embrace the promise of the True North,
now, at the dawn of its ascendancy, would be to turn our backs on what it is to
be Canadian.
Long the land of untapped potential,
the North now stands poised to fulfill its true destiny.
The Northern economy is booming;
numerous resource-development projects are underway and more are on the way.
The tourism sector is also growing rapidly.
At the same time, Northerners face
numerous unique challenges. The impacts of climate change are more evident in
the far North than anywhere else on earth, for instance, and are accelerating.
And work is still required to ensure infrastructure gaps are addressed, including
access to affordable housing.
To realize the North’s potential, while
at the same time addressing challenges such as these, our Government has
launched an integrated Northern Strategy and made a series of targeted
investments to advance it.
The Northern Strategy has four pillars:
·Promoting northern social and economic
development
·Improving and devolving northern governance so
that Northerners have greater control over their destinies
·Protecting the North’s environmental heritage;
and
·Exercising Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.
Canada has made a number of investments
and is implementing initiatives that generate opportunities for Northerners and
foster stronger, more sustainable communities.
Our Northern Regulatory Improvement
Initiative will help resolve the complex approval process for development
projects, to ensure new projects can get up and running quickly and
efficiently. The $500 million Mackenzie Gas Project Impacts Fund will address
socio-economic challenges related to this massive and important project in the
event that it proceeds.
Last month’s federal budget – Canada’s
Economic Action Plan – committed an additional $90 million dollars in a federal
program that works with Northern communities to support strategic investments
in Northern economic development. Budget 2009 also allocated $50 million to a
new regional development agency that will be dedicated to economic development
and focused on the unique needs and aspirations of Northerners.
We’ve also just provided $200 million
to support renovation and the construction of new housing units; this is on top
of our previous $300 million Northern Housing Trust. And we have invested $225
million to increase broadband access to under-served communities.
Money alone, of course, will not
produce a balanced and sustainable approach to economic and social development.
To achieve this goal — and to give Northerners a voice in decision-making —
will necessarily require improved governance mechanisms, which is the second
pillar of our integrated Northern Strategy.
Canada
is a young country and the task of nation-building continues. As important as
socio-economic growth and environmental protection, is the need to build strong
Northern governments. There are two aspects to this in Canada: strengthening Aboriginal
governance and building the capacity of territorial public governments. Canada
continues to negotiate outstanding land claims and self-government agreements,
and to advance the devolution of responsibilities to the territories.
Almost 6 years ago, for example, the
Yukon became the first to achieve devolution. We are making progress towards
the full devolution of responsibilities in the Northwest Territories and
Nunavut. Canada’s commitment is to establish strong, responsible, accountable Northern governments that
contribute to a dynamic, secure Canadian federation.
Aboriginal communities across the North
continue to acquire greater control over their affairs. Today, Aboriginal
representatives sit on several land- and water-management boards that decide
the fate of proposed projects in the North. This approach not only effectively
integrates traditional knowledge and scientific data, but also helps protect the region’s unique and vulnerable ecosystems.
As a global community, we must also
respect traditional economics activities in the Arctic like fishing, hunting,
trapping, the seal harvest, and the fur trade. These activities are done
responsibly and are important sources of income, food, and culture for
aboriginal peoples and other northerners.
To promote environmental protection,
the third important pillar of our Northern Strategy, we have invested
significantly in Arctic research. Budget 2009, for instance, committed $2 million to conduct the feasibility study for a new world-class
research station in Canada’s High Arctic and $85 million over the next two
years to upgrade existing Arctic research facilities.
The Government of Canada is also in the
process of toughening pollution laws. A Bill extending
the enforcement zone of the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act,
which prohibits ships from dumping waste, from 100 to 200 nautical miles was
recently tabled in the House of Commons. In addition, new regulations will
require all ships entering our Arctic waters to report to Canadian authorities
through NORDREG, the Arctic marine-traffic system.
The Government of Canada has also
protected from development several large tracts of land in the North. In
collaboration with the Deh Cho First Nation, we will significantly expand one
of these areas: Nahanni National Park, UNESCO’s first
World Heritage site. Canada also plans to establish an Arctic Marine Protected
Area to preserve Lancaster Sound in the high eastern Arctic.
The
fourth pillar of Canada’s Northern Strategy is sovereignty. Canada’s Arctic
sovereignty is longstanding, well established and based on historic title. In
exercising Canadian sovereignty, our Government continues to take decisive
steps.
Recent
initiatives include investments in a new Polar class icebreaker and Arctic
offshore/patrol vessels to improve Canada’s Arctic-patrol capacity. In
addition, we are in the process of mapping Canada’s Arctic seabed to support
our submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf.
And of course, international
cooperation remains key to achieving our Northern Strategy goals. Canadians
have long been working with our Arctic neighbours and other international
partners in many areas of shared interest and we will continue to do so. During
the current International Polar Year, for instance, scientists from around the
world are conducting dozens of projects in Canada’s North. The Government of
Canada committed $156 million to enable Canadian participation in International
Polar Year. This collaboration is just the latest in a long string of
cooperative initiatives.
More than 25 years ago, for instance,
Canada, Norway, Denmark, the United States and the Russian Federation signed an
agreement to cooperatively manage polar bears in the wild – the first agreement
of its kind. Canada was also instrumental in the establishment of the Arctic
Council.
The Arctic Council is the high-level
intergovernmental forum that brings together the eight countries around the
Arctic Circle and the six Indigenous Peoples groups to address common
challenges and opportunities in the Circumpolar North.
Canada also shares information on
polar-ice conditions with other members of the International Ice Charting
Working Group. The exchange of information promotes cooperation and increases
marine safety through accurate forecasting of sea ice and icebergs. The
Canadian Ice Service also collaborates directly with the United States in the
interests of marine safety.
Canada has a strong tradition of
bilateral initiatives in the North. In 1990, Canada and the United States began
a series of collaborative research projects. This cooperation led to Arctic
Ocean crossings by the icebreakers St-Laurent and Polar Sea and numerous
joint-research projects. In addition, Canada has collaborated with Japan since
1998 on climate research in the Western Arctic – a project that has generated
valuable data on the changes underway in the Arctic Ocean.
More recently, Canada and the United
Kingdom agreed to cooperate in polar research. Canada leads along with the
United States and Finland in the development of a comprehensive Arctic Marine
Shipping Assessment. The Assessment report, due to be delivered to Arctic
Council Ministers in April, will provide valuable insight into the economic,
environmental and socioeconomic trends of marine traffic in Arctic waters.
Canada has also been active on the
diplomatic front, negotiating important international environmental instruments
that address Arctic issues, such as the Stockholm Convention on persistent
organic pollutants. I expect that many Forum delegates recognize and appreciate
Canada’s efforts to strengthen international conventions and protocols.
The future prosperity of Canada’s North
will be influenced by our capacity to work with our regional partners to
develop a common strategy for the sustainable development of the circumpolar
region. Within Canada and its entire Arctic region, there is recognition that
future security and prosperity are closely connected with our ability to effectively
manage northern issues. This is why we are taking a proactive stance in
managing the issues, together with our northern communities.
Declaratory foreign policy is not
enough to safeguard and promote Canadian interests and meet Canada’s obligations.
Our Northern Strategy reinforces the federal government’s commitment to the
North and to northern peoples. In circumpolar affairs, Canada has been
regarded as an important player. Our Northern Strategy Policy demonstrates
Canada’s continuing commitment to maintaining this role.
As you can see, collaboration is a
crucial feature of Canada’s Northern Strategy. By working directly with
partners in Canada, in particular Aboriginal peoples, and other Northerners, as
well as working internationally, we are achieving our goal of fostering
sustainable prosperity in Canada’s North.
Finally, dear colleagues, although the
Northern Dimension is a European policy, we look forward to cooperating with
you. Only by working together as governments and parliamentarians can we make
a difference and secure the future of the Arctic.
Thank you.
APPENDIX III
First Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum
Final Statement
26 February 2009
Members of the European Parliament, of
the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, of the Conference of Parliamentarians
of the Arctic Region, of the Baltic Assembly, of the Nordic Council, of the
West Nordic Council and of the network of Barents parliamentarians met in the
European Parliament in Brussels on 25-26 February 2009 at the First Northern
Dimension Parliamentary Forum to discuss the development of the Northern
Dimension Policy in the Baltic Sea Region and in the Arctic Region and to
coordinate the policies of the parliamentary bodies within the Northern
Dimension region.
The First Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum
A. having regard to the first
ministerial meeting of the renewed Northern Dimension held in St Petersburg, 28
October 2008 where the ministers expressed their satisfaction with the level of
cooperation between the Northern Dimension and the four Regional Councils in
the North: the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Council of the Baltic Sea
States, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Arctic Council;
B. having regard to the Northern
Dimension Policy Framework Document and the Political Declaration on the
Northern Dimension Policy approved on 24 November 2006, welcomes the updated,
more permanent, high profile, and structured Northern Dimension Policy, based
on the principles of co-ownership of the four equal partners (Iceland, Norway,
Russia, and the EU), that came into force on 1 January 2007;
1. underlines the importance and value
of parliamentarians from different countries to meet and discuss issues of
common concern;
2. emphasizes that the Parliamentary
Forum shall not take the shape of a new institution, but rather a recurrent
place for representatives of the different parliamentary bodies in the north;
3. supports the overall aim of the
Northern Dimension to provide a common framework for the promotion of dialogue
and concrete cooperation, strengthening stability, well-being and intensified
economic cooperation, promotion of economic integration and competitiveness and
sustainable development in Northern Europe;
4. encourages the partners of the Northern
Dimension to focus on issues of specific relevance in the North such as its
fragile environment, public health and social issues, cultural and indigenous
peoples issues;
5. is deeply concerned of the effect of
climate change on sustainability of the lives of the indigenous people in the
Arctic region, in terms of both the general environment and the natural
habitat, and underlines that any international decisions relating to these
issues must fully involve and take account of all peoples and nations of the
Arctic;
6. recognizes the increased importance
of the Baltic Sea Region;
7. encourages close coordination
between the Baltic Sea Strategy and the new Northern Dimension. The Northern
Dimension provides a joint overall framework for mutual cooperation on an equal
basis between EU, Russia, Iceland and Norway. In order for the Baltic Sea
Strategy to be efficient, it needs to be aligned with the Northern Dimension
policy;
8. promotes coordination between
intergovernmental actors and other stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region, for
the sake of environmental and financial efficiency, encouraging the evolution
of a division of labour and responsibilities in accordance with their
respective objectives and competencies;
9. underlines the need for coherent and
targeted leadership in order to drive the issues of the Baltic Sea Region. The
Baltic Sea Strategy could contribute to the Northern Dimension process by
bolstering the vertical and horizontal dialogue between stakeholders and actors
of the Region. A closer synchronization of the actors would strengthen both
their individual and their combined impact. Cooperation in the Region should be
strengthened by building networks, not institutions;
10. stresses the need to implement the
HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) and supports the work of the BSAP
Implementation Group;
11. highlights that more knowledge is
needed about climate change, its consequences for society, and our preparedness
and capabilities to adapt to change. More effective actions – by means of e.g.
technology transfer, research and development, and vocational training – should
be promoted in order to reduce pollution and emissions and to develop renewable
energy, energy efficiency and energy savings in all sectors in the Baltic Sea
Region;
12. supports action and investments by
Northern Dimension participants, and the maritime industry, to put appropriate
resources in place to provide for emergency response capabilities, search and
rescue capabilities, and specific spill response capabilities, as the Oceans
open to marine shipping, and to take preventive measures to avoid shipping
accidents;
13. recommends to extend cooperation to
reduce the vulnerability and improve the adaptability to the consequences of
climate change, as well as to the enhancement of the capacity to prevent and
manage adverse consequences of climate change (such as natural hazards and
technological accidents);
14. underlines the need to coordinate
and cooperate on strategies before the COP-15 in 2009 (Copenhagen) in order to provide
consolidated support from the Baltic Sea Region and the Arctic Region to
ambitious measures for the mitigation of man-made CO2 emissions;
15. expresses satisfaction over the
newly established Northern Dimension partnership on transport and logistics and
underlines the importance of infrastructure in creating sustainable and
prosperous societies;
16. underlines the importance of
environmental considerations when developing the partnership on transport and
logistics, using environmentally friendly technologies and solutions;
17. asks for reports on the
implementation of the partnerships within the Northern Dimension, to be
presented at the next Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum;
18. calls on the President of the
European Parliament to forward this final statement to the speakers of the
parliaments and to the governments of Iceland, Norway and Russia, to the
institutions of the European Union and to the national parliaments of the
European Union;
19. welcomes with gratitude the kind
invitation of the Norwegian Parliament to host the Second Northern Dimension
Parliamentary Forum in 2011.