Pan Arctic Forum

The Arctic Journal posted an article titled, “Nordic Day”. The article reads in part as follows;

“Even if you apply a liberal defintion and include Greenland as a Nordic country, most of the Arctic is not Nordic. Much of the Nordic region (whether you include Greenland or not) on the other hand, is Arctic.

And, for that reason, no celebration of Nordic Day, on March 23, would be complete without a discussion of the role Nordic institutions play in the region. Chief among these is the Nordic Council of Ministers, the official body for inter-governmental co-operation among the five member states and three associate countries.

European Parliament published an article online titled, “Arctic: ban oil drilling and mitigate tensions, urge MEPs.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Climate change is bringing new environmental and security challenges in the Arctic, as the melting ice cap opens up new navigation and fishing routes, and competition for its natural resources heats up, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Thursday. They call for measures to protect the vulnerable Arctic ecosystem, ban oil drilling there and keep it a low-tension and cooperation area.

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (CRE) has for a number of years opposed admitting the EU as an observer to the Arctic Council. CRE opposition is based primarily on the EU acceptance of the precautionary principle as an operating norm.  CRE’s opposition has been in one way reinforced by a recent action of one group of EU legislators and in another way negated by the actions of another group of  legislators.

More specifically, Reuters reports:

NunatsiaqOnline posted an article titled, “Trump presidency leads Finland to worry about Arctic Council’s future.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Finland appears to have some worries about what will happen to the Arctic Council after May, when the United States passes the chair of the circumpolar organization to Finland.

That’s because the overall Arctic policy environment has become more uncertain, particularly with respect to security, a recently-released document on the Arctic Council and Finland says.

The 95-page report, written in Finnish and entitled Finland’s chairmanship in the Arctic Council (2017-2019) in the age of change and uncertainty, reveals unease about Russia’s military intentions in the Arctic.

The Huffington Post published an article titled, “Trump’s Presidency Gives Norway Hope For Fossil Fuel Exploration in the Arctic.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Trump’s inauguration in January marked the start of high levels of distress across the world as news of his policies spreads across the globe.

Alaska Public Media published an article titled, “Preparations underway for Arctic Council ministerial, related events.” The article reads in part as follows;

“A U.S. State Department official said planning is well under way for the big, biennial meeting of top diplomats from the eight Arctic Council member nations to be held this spring in Fairbanks.

‘We have an advance team of 40 individuals who are up with us – to give you an idea of how much commitment and how much work goes into planning a meeting with these many moving parts’, Ann Meceda, a State Department Arctic affairs officer, said.

KUAC posted an article titled, “Many Moving Parts’: Preparations Under Way for Arctic Council Ministerial, Related Events.” The article reads in part as follows;

“A U.S. State Department official says planning is well under way for the big, biennial meeting of top diplomats from the eight Arctic Council member nations to be held this spring in Fairbanks.

“We have an advance team of 40 individuals who are up with us – to give you an idea of how much commitment and how much work goes into planning a meeting with these many moving parts,” says Ann Meceda, a State Department Arctic affairs officer.