Norway takes over presidency of Arctic Council from Russia after Ukraine war grinds work to a halt
- In March last year, 7 Western members suspended their participation in the intergovernmental body in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Research, such as climate work and mapping polar bears, is on hold, and scientists have lost important access to facilities in the Russian Arctic
Norway took over the Arctic Council’s rotating presidency from Russia on Thursday amid concerns that the work of the eight-country intergovernmental body on protecting the sensitive environment is at risk because of suspension of cooperation with Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
In March 2022, seven Western members of the Arctic Council, which doesn’t deal with security issues but makes binding agreements on environmental protection and gives a voice to the indigenous peoples of the Arctic region, suspended their participation in the intergovernmental body in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a month earlier.
The countries – Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United States – said that they wouldn’t send representatives to the council’s meetings in Russia – the world’s largest Arctic state – although they remained convinced of the value of Arctic cooperation.
Research involving Russia, ranging from climate work to mapping polar bears, has been put on hold, and scientists have lost access to important facilities in the Russian Arctic.
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The Arctic Council, which covers an area home to more than 4 million people, is one of the only places where Russia sits at the same table as Western countries.
