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Minister Greetings: Iceland

River Ölfusá, just North of Selfoss, South Iceland
Photo: Peter Prokosch

By Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iceland

The Arctic is increasingly on our mind and the region has, in recent years, received substantial attention within the international arena. This is understandable. In virtue of climate change and its impact on the environmental, societal and economic development we see more and more countries and actors interested in the Arctic. This development is only likely to continue in the foreseeable future.

Since the Arctic Council was established in 1996, it has served an important role in promoting stability and cooperation between countries in the Arctic region. The Arctic Council has – in the course of its twenty years – attained major achievements, most notably through the extensive work of its subsidiary bodies, and through the crucial agreements on search and rescue and oil spill prevention.

The challenges we face in the region have, however, changed in the last two decades. The fragile ecosystem of the region is increasingly at risk, and Arctic communities are experiencing first-hand the challenges of dealing with a rapidly changing climate with far-reaching consequences and repercussions around the world.

At this watershed in its history, I believe it is of utmost importance to promote and further strengthen the Arctic Council as the most significant forum of discussion and decisionmaking on Arctic issues. It is the Arctic states’ responsibility to ensure an auspicious development of the precious Arctic – for the benefit of generations to come. The Arctic Council will be an indispensable backbone on that journey.

 

Photo: http://www.grida.no/photolib/detail/river-olfus-just-north-of-selfoss-south-iceland_f0f1

Table of Contents

  1. Letter from the Editor in Chief

    By Outi Snellman

  2. 20 Years of Peaceful Cooperation

    By Børge Brende

  3. Celebrating 20 Years of the Arctic Council

    By David Balton

  4. International Cooperation for Arctic Prosperity

    By Sergey Lavrov

  5. Minister Greetings: Finland

    By Timo Soini

  6. Setting the Stage for Arctic Cooperation

    By Eirik Sivertsen

  7. It All Started in Rovaniemi

    By Markku Heikkilä

  8. Interview with Mary Simon

    By Stig Brøndbo

  9. Interview with Thorvald Stoltenberg

    By Stig Brøndbo

  10. Interview with Alona Yefimenko

    By Stig Brøndbo

  11. Interview with Sheila Watt-Cloutier

    By Stig Brøndbo

  12. The Role of the Working Groups in the Work of the Arctic Council

    By David Stone and Lars-Otto Reiersen

  13. Science to Policy: Arctic Biodiversity Assessment

    By Tom Barry and Courtney Price

  14. The Arctic Council: A Model for Cooperation

    By Timo Koivurova

  15. The Arctic Council: A Victory for Soft Law & Soft Security

    By Heather Exner-Pirot

  16. The Arctic Council: Maintaining Peace Through Cooperation

    By Michael Byers

  17. Arctic Human Development

    By Joan Nymand Larsen and Gail Fondahl

  18. Towards Revival of Arctic Cooperation

    By Olli Rehn

  19. The Arctic Economic Council: Connecting with the Business Community

    By Tara Sweeney

  20. Love & Peace

    By Else Berit Eikeland and Gunn-Britt Retter

  21. Working Inside the Arctic Council: Arctic Change and World Reindeer Herders

    By Mikhail Pogodaev and Anders Oskal

  22. Observer States in the Arctic Council: A Way Forward to Better Cooperation

    By Justin Kim

  23. The Arctic: A Place for the Miraculous

    By Chen Yitong

  24. The Arctic Council Adapting to the Future

    By Arild Moe, Svein Vigeland Rottem and Olav Schram Stokke

  25. The Way Forward for the Arctic Council

    By Oran R. Young

  26. Student Profiles

    By students from Arctic states

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