Coverage

Arctic Council’s EPPR Working Group released a new ten‑minute video educating small Arctic communities on oil‑spill risks, impacts and response actions, part of a three‑video preparedness series.

The Arctic Council and IMO collaborate through the PAME working group and the Arctic Shipping Best Practice Information Forum to promote the implementation of the Polar Code, enhancing safety, security, and environmental protection for Arctic shipping.

The Arctic Council’s Shipping Best Practice Forum, held virtually for the first time, drew 140 participants, expanded its Web Portal, and highlighted progress in implementing the IMO Polar Code.

AMAP’s new Expert Group on Litter and Microplastics is developing the first Arctic‑wide monitoring plan covering 11 ecosystem compartments, from air to seabed, to assess plastic pollution and support policy and assessment.

The first virtual Senior Arctic Officials plenary brought 170 delegates together to discuss green energy, youth participation, marine litter action plans, and preview Russia’s chairmanship priorities.

The Icelandic‑chaired virtual Senior Arctic Officials meeting on 17‑19 Nov 2020 focused on climate, green energy, marine stewardship, and COVID‑19, while preparing for the 25th‑anniversary ministerial and the Russian chairmanship.

The AEC’s Connectivity Working Group and the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group co-hosted a November 11 webinar on broadband connectivity, highlighting its importance for poverty reduction, information exchange, and economic improvement in Arctic communities.

The Arctic Council launched the Senior Arctic Officials’ Marine Mechanism in September 2020 to improve coordination of marine‑related projects and policy implementation across its working groups.

In 2020 the Arctic Council launched the Senior Arctic Officials’ Marine Mechanism to strengthen marine coordination, following Task Force work that identified nine functional needs and led to a webinar-based platform replacing a planned in‑person meeting.

The article outlines how applying best technology and environmental practices in Arctic oil and gas can cut black carbon and methane emissions, offering climate and economic benefits.

With Arctic shipping lanes opening, the Aleut region’s Adak may become a key hub, but the influx of container traffic raises safety and environmental concerns for local Aleut communities.

The 2018 International Agreement to Prevent Unregulated Fishing in the High Seas of the Central Arctic Ocean bans commercial fishing until scientific data is available, protecting the emerging ecosystem as ice retreats.

A 2020 study highlights how Indigenous peoples' management of Arctic wetlands supports biodiversity and food security, noting gaps in representation and offering policy recommendations.

Arctic Contaminants Action Program convened experts to assess mercury pollution, its combined effects with other contaminants, and coordinate actions under the Minamata Convention.

The Arctic Council’s PAME released its 2019 Shipping Status Report, noting that 10% of Arctic vessels used heavy fuel oil, which can harm marine environments, amid an 82% rise in fuel consumption from 2016 to 2019.

Inuit Circumpolar Council leader Jim Stotts shared how Inuit communities view marine biodiversity and climate change, urging the Arctic Council to revise its Marine Strategic Plan to include COVID‑19 impacts, Indigenous participation, pollution, and shifting species patterns.

The Arctic Council launched a new Senior Arctic Officials Marine Mechanism and a four‑week webinar series to unite Arctic States, Indigenous participants and experts, aiming to improve marine stewardship and sustainable shipping.

Arctic Council’s SDWG is creating an Innovation Cluster to connect producers, investors, and Indigenous communities, piloting hydroponic and agroforestry projects in Canada and Russia to strengthen local food security.

U.S. and NATO warships carried out a joint drill off Russia’s Arctic coast, demonstrating multinational naval presence and operational coordination.

Arctic Council initiatives are building shared wildfire management language, drawing on Indigenous practices and cross‑border cooperation to address growing fire risks.

The Arctic Council’s Zero Arctic project blends Indigenous knowledge and life‑cycle assessment to design carbon‑neutral buildings that reduce energy use and emissions while respecting local cultures.

Norway is expanding a key Arctic port to accommodate more U.S. nuclear submarine visits, bolstering U.S. naval presence in the region.

Sámi campaigners gathered 37,200 signatures to oppose mining in a reindeer herding area, protecting indigenous livelihoods.

Arctic Council's EPPR Working Group launched COSRVA, a GIS tool that assesses the viability of oil spill response systems across the circumpolar North, helping planners adapt to climate‑driven changes.

Norway has named Hilde Svartdal Lunde as its new Senior Arctic Official, a role that will coordinate Arctic Council efforts on security, environment and policy across the circumpolar region.