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CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC REGION
THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC REGION MEETING IN WASHINGTON 10 March 2015 at 9.30 am Venue: Library of Congress, Member’s Room – Thomas Jefferson Building Draft minutes DRAFT ANNOTATED AGENDA, CHAIR 1. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND THE PROPOSED ORDER OF AGENDA ITEMS The Chair informed the Committee that Senator King would not be able to attend the meeting. Two items were added to the agenda – possible participation at the “Arctic Energy Summit” 28-30 September 2015 and a draft letter from the members of SCPAR to Minister Aglukkaq and Secretary Kerry as current and incoming Chair of the Arctic Council. Decision: The Committee adopted the agenda and the proposed order of agenda items for the SCPAR meeting with adjustments presented by the Chair. 2. APPROVAL OF DRAFT MINUTES FROM THE SCPAR-MEETING IN HELSINKI 20 NOVEMBER 2014 Decision: The Committee approved the minutes from the SCPAR-meeting in Helsinki, 20 November 2014. 3. PREPARATIONS FOR THE US CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE ARCTIC COUNCIL Admiral Robert Papp – Special Representative for the Arctic, US State Department, introduced the members of the Committee to the draft program for the US Chairmanship. Adm. Papp noted that the Chairmanship of Arctic Council is not a unilateral program and that they have talked and travelled to get feedback from the Arctic countries and interest groups. The contact with Alaska has been especially important with several listening sessions. The current draft balances the need of safety/security and environment in a good way. The revised program received good feedback at the SAO-meeting in Whitehorse the previous week, and almost all proposals were accepted. Mr. Papp expressed support in the Arctic Economic Council as a tool to achieve sustainable development of the Arctic. He went on to underline the importance to have the lines open in the Arctic and continue to include all countries in the cooperation. The US Arctic Chairmanship program will increase the Arctic public diplomacy and elevate the interest of Arctic in the US, including by bringing people to Alaska. Finally Adm. Papp noted that there are different Arctics in many ways – North America – Nordic - and Russia somewhere in between. On questions from the Committee Adm. Papp noted that the initiative to establish and connect Marine Protected Areas in the Arctic is a follow-up from the Oceans Conference in Washington last year. A Regional Seas Program, binding or not binding agreements to protect new areas, did not reach a consensus at the SAO meeting in Whitehorse last week. This is a controversial topic in Alaska. On another question Adm. Papp noted that the Arctic Economic Council is a business to business cooperation with no state interest. The US has representatives from Alaska appointed by a business association. Papp also informed the Committee that mental wellness – including suicide prevention – is a part of the chairmanship program. With regards to the issuing of visa for travelling and participating in the Arctic meetings, Adm. Papp noted that the relations are not normal right now, but that he would look into the question and make it work within the restrictions made by the states. Adm. Papp is in favor of the US ratifying UNCLOS and raised the issue if Alaska could ratify it. To strengthen the Arctic Council Adm. Papp wants to strengthen the Arctic Council secretariat and look into the structure of the Working Groups under the Arctic Council. As for the number of observers to the Arctic Council he raised the issue if there should be a rotation between the observers for having observer status – like 6 years in and 6 years out. Adm. Papp went on the underline the importance of implementing the agreements between the Arctic states. There will be a table top SAR exercise this fall and hopefully a full Arctic SAR exercise next year. Also the oil spill agreement needs exercises. The US will initiate an assessment on telecommunication in the Arctic, continue to address adaptation to climate change in the Arctic, and reduction of emissions of black carbon and methane. The Arctic coastal nations have negotiations of an agreement on fisheries in the High Seas of the Arctic Ocean. As for research in the Arctic the US will address this, including by looking at how we share information on research and how to include observers. Finally Adm. Papp noted that there is political will to have an Arctic Council side-event during the COP 21 in Paris in December and that they are looking into how to address this. Decision: The Committee took note of the information. 4. ALASKA PERSPECTIVE ON THE US CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE ARCTIC COUNCIL Mr. Craig Fleener, senior advisor to the Governor of Alaska on Arctic Policy, informed the members of the Committee about the situation and Alaska and the expectations for the US Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Alaska supports the work in the Arctic Council to foster economic development in the Arctic. Mr. Fleener informed about frictions between Alaska and the federal level concerning the use of land in Alaska to further develop the resource potential in Alaska. Around 67% of the land in Alaska is federally owned. Mr. Fleener proposed to establish an innovation fund to improve economic development in Alaska. Reducing energy costs is most pressing topic in Alaska as the high cost of energy limits all development. This must also be addressed through promoting energy efficiency and more renewable energy. There is little infrastructure in Alaska, very few roads and no railway. Food security is a vital issue since the fishery collapsing in some parts of the state where many live on subsistence resources. Arctic research is another area where we need to cooperate better in the Arctic through increased coordination and cooperation when doing research, and by making the results more easily accessible. Finally Mr. Fleener addressed the need of improving the funding for the participation of the Permanent Participant in the work of the Arctic Council. On questions from the Committee Mr. Fleener noted that the best way to keep educated people in their societies is to create job opportunities. He also saw good things in having indigenous peoples working in various positions across the state, for the employer and the society. Members of the Committee pointed to the importance of food security, reduce the cost of energy and the general cost of living. One possibility may be localizing the economy in a stronger way. There were also where experience of increased local poverty when developing mines in the north. Mr. Fleener also pointed to the importance of finding a way to let the small communities continue to be small communities with a subsistence lifestyle. The importance of telecommunication was also raised by the members of the Committee as a tool to create new jobs in rural areas. On a question from the Committee Mr. Fleener noted that Alaskans are similar to all other people, they want to take care of themselves and their families, and make use of the opportunities in their communities without interference from the government. Finally Mr. Fleener noted that Alaska is open for business and work to attract foreign investors. The cost of energy is an obstacle in refining some of the products in the state to generate more jobs and value from the natural resources such as fish and oil. Decision: The Committee took note of the information. 5. THE ROLE OF THE US IN THE ARCTIC COUNCIL Mr. Alfredo Gomez, Director, Natural Resources and Environment, Ms. Susan Fleming, Director, Physical Infrastructure and Mr. Michael Hix, Assistant Director, Natural Resources and Environment presented the findings in the report from the US Governmental Accountability Office looking into how the US organizes its work in the Arctic Council with recommendations for improvements. The main finding is that there is a need for better coordination and specific resources allocated to follow-up the recommendations from the Arctic Council. The volume and amount of work of the Arctic Council is increasing with a large number of projects with final recommendations which are too may not specific enough. The findings in the multilateral audit will be presented in April 2015. The main conclusion is that the Arctic Council has contributed to improved international cooperation in the Arctic, but needs to look at how to organize and coordinate its work. GAO also presented its report on Maritime Infrastructure in the Arctic and noted that there is a deficit of infrastructure in areas such as deep water ports, mapping and charting, icebreaker capacity. GAO foresees limited increase in maritime activity over the next 10 years. On a final note GAO concluded that separate funding for infrastructure and Arctic cooperation will be needed to increase the effective implementation of the Arctic Council recommendations. Decision: The Committee took note of the information. 6. STATUS OF THE WORK OF SCPAR The Nordic Council representative informed the Committee that the spring session is moved from Brussels to Copenhagen. The representative from the West-Nordic Council reported from the recent meeting in Aasiat, Greenland where a Working Group was established to further look into the possibilities of a free trade agreement between the West-Nordic countries. The West-Nordic Council will celebrate a 30 years anniversary at its annual meeting in August 2015. The representative from Sweden informed the Committee about the political situation in Sweden after the election in September 2014. An agreement has been reached between most parties in the parliament which makes it possible to govern with a minority government. They will aim broad agreements in parliament. A new commission on energy has been established. The representatives from Canada updated the Committee on the work of the Arctic Council Chairmanship and with the Ministerial Meeting the 24 April 2015 in Iqalluit. The Arctic Economic Council is established and three thematic networks have started. Canada is like to have an election within the next six months. In the Northwest Territories work on solar energy is making progress. The representative from Denmark/Greenland informed about the political situation in Greenland after the election 28 November 2014. A coalition government with Siumut as the big party has been established. The economy in Greenland is under considerable pressure and reforms are needed. The representative of the European Parliament said that the Commission and the External Services are working on a new Arctic communication expected to be presented by the end of the year. The representative from Denmark/Faroe Islands informed about the conflicts regarding fisheries as a result of changing swimming patterns for the fish stocks, and the need for better agreements in this field. The Faroe Islands are also continuing to export fish to Russia and does not follow the restrictive regime from the EU, as they look at this as business not politics. The representative from Norway informed about difficult times for the Coal Company in Svalbard as result of low prices of coal. The mining will continue but with a reduced number of employees. The Norwegian government will present a Whitepaper on the Antarctic before the summer. As chair of SCPAR the Norwegian representative has made speeches at a seminar in Paris about Arctic parliamentary cooperation, about indigenous peoples in the Arctic cooperation in in Alta, Norway and during the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø. The representative from Iceland informed about the upcoming Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum 10-11 May 2015 and the following meeting of SCPAR the 12th. The representative from the USA informed about the establishment of an Arctic Caucus in the US Senate with Senators Murkowski and King taking the initiative. The caucus will highlight why the Arctic is important to all of the US, not only Alaska. A financial commitment - a national investment - is needed. A hearing on the Arctic Executive Order was organized last week. There is a fear that the US Chairmanship of the Arctic Council will have too much focus on climate change and too little on economic development. Senator Murkowski will take part in the US delegation to Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in April. The Senator welcomed members of SCPAR to participate at Arctic Energy Summit 28-30 September in Fairbanks, Alaska. A representative from Russia informed about the ongoing implementation of program of arctic development in Russia. The representative from Finland informed about a hearing on a report regarding increased economic cooperation between Finland, Sweden and Norway in the North, and that Finland will have a national election in April 2015. The secretariat informed about a meeting with Japanese representatives who expressed interest in participating in the next CPAR in 2016, and reported from the Senior Arctic Official meeting in Whitehorse 4-5 March 2015. In a general discussion after the national reports, Senator Murkowski presented to the Committee a map of the protected areas in Alaska and explained the different views from Washington D.C. and the State of Alaska on the future use of these areas. In a final round of discussions the members of the committee elaborated on the need to explain how realities of the people living in the Arctic does not always correspond with how the Arctic is looked at in the rest of the world. Especially that the people living in the Arctic needs the opportunity to make use of the resources in their region, be it seals or petroleum resources. The message to the COP 21 meeting in Paris in December 2015 must not be to make the Arctic into a sanctuary and a symbol in the fight against climate change. The Arctic Energy Summit The members of the Committee are encouraged to participate at the Arctic Energy Summit in Fairbanks 28-30 September 2015. The Committee will look into the possibilities of hosting a side-event in connection with the meeting. Decision: The Committee took note of the information. 7. NEXT MEETING OF SCPAR The next meeting of SCPAR will be in Reykjavik, Iceland, 12 May 2015. The SCPAR meeting will be held back to back with the 4th Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum (NDPF) in Reykjavik 10-11 May 2015. The members of SCPAR are invited to attend both meetings. Decision: The Standing Committee meets in Reykjavik, Iceland 12 May 2015, and the members attend the Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum 10-11 May 2015. 8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS The members of the Committee decided to sign a letter to the Chair of the Arctic Council and the incoming Chair of the Arctic Council the reiterate some of the key messages from the CPAR 11 in Whitehorse 9-11 September 2014. The letter is enclosed to the minutes. |
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