Report

Introduction

A Canadian delegation of two Members of Parliament, Mr. Larry Bagnell and Mr. Larry Maguire, attended the meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (the Standing Committee) ^[1] held in Stockholm, Sweden, from 2 to 3 March 2016. Accompanying the delegation was Mr. Thai Nguyen, from the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament as adviser to the delegation, and Ms. Guyanne Desforges, Association Secretary. 

Arctic parliamentary cooperation is facilitated by the Standing Committee between biennial meetings of the Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR). ^[2] CPAR and the Standing Committee act as a parliamentary forum for issues relevant to the work of the Arctic Council. It comprises delegations appointed by the national parliaments of the eight Arctic states (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United States) and the European Parliament. CPAR and the Standing Committee also include Permanent Participants representing Indigenous peoples, as well as observers.

At the conclusion of each biennial meeting, CPAR adopts a statement with recommendations to the Arctic Council and to the governments of the eight Arctic states and the European Commission. The Standing Committee monitors how the governments implement the Conference Statement, and takes initiatives to further Arctic cooperation. It also takes part in the work of the Arctic Council as an observer.

Meeting summary[3]

A.   SWEDISH ARCTIC STRATEGY

Mr. Andrés Jato, Swedish Senior Arctic Official at the Arctic Council, presented to Committee members the Sweden’s Strategy for the Arctic Region.[4] This strategy, updated in May 2015, was originally released in advance of the Swedish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council from 2011 to 2013.

Mr. Andrés Jato noted the importance of international cooperation in the Arctic region and the role of the Arctic Council in fostering such cooperation. He indicated that climate change, environmental pollution, sustainable economic development, and living conditions of Indigenous peoples constitute Sweden’s priorities in its strategy for the Arctic region.

The Swedish Senior Arctic Official at the Arctic Council also welcomed the current United States Chairmanship’s emphasis on climate change,[5] and encouraged Finland, the next Arctic Council Chair, to carry on cooperation efforts on climate change.

B.   SWEDEN’S ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES ON ARCTIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Mr. Fredrik Hannerz, political adviser to Sweden's Climate and Environment Minister, presented to the Standing Committee the new Swedish environmental policy for the Arctic, published in January 2016.[6] He indicated that climate change is already affecting livelihoods in northern Sweden, and called on Arctic countries to better communicate their message on climate change to the rest of the world.

Mr. Fredrik Hannerz mentioned that Sweden’s Arctic policy development focus on the protection of biodiversity by the creation of marine protected areas, the identification of valuable natural habitats, and an ecosystem-based management of fisheries. Sweden also has for objective to become fossil fuels-free by 2050 or earlier. Mr. Hannerz noted that, in Sweden, practically all heating needs are already provided by renewable energy sources, and that the next challenge will be to convert the entire transport sector.

A Canadian delegate enquired if caribou/reindeer herds in Sweden are also affected by climate change as it is the case in Canada. A Swedish representative recalled his recent meeting with a Sami reindeer herder in northern Sweden. He mentioned new challenges faced by reindeers in the context of climate change: change in vegetation, and greater presence of an ice layer between the thin snow and the vegetated ground, making it more difficult for reindeers to access food.

C.   SWEDISH ARCTIC RESEARCH

Dr. Magnus Augner, Deputy Director-General, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, presented to the Standing Committee Sweden’s current Arctic research activities. He emphasized the need for international scientific cooperation in the Arctic given the high cost of field studies.

Recent successful international scientific collaboration initiatives include Sweden-Russia-United States’ SWERUS-C3 (linkages between climate, cryosphere, and carbon) study, and Sweden-Canada’s joint study on Arctic ecosystems. Dr. Magnus Augner also stressed the importance of long-term monitoring and introduced to the Standing Committee the Abisko Scientific Research Station in northern Sweden which started meteorological monitoring and natural science research in 1913.

A Russian delegate enquired if sanctions imposed on Russia related to conflicts in Ukraine could have had negative impacts for international scientific cooperation in the Arctic. A Canadian delegate replied that these possible impacts were unintentional consequences of the sanctions and should be avoided as much as possible.

The Chair reminded members of the consensus at the 2015 Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Iqaluit.[7] Arctic Council’s members called for greater cooperation in the Arctic region, especially scientific collaboration, despite conflicts in other regions outside the Arctic. The Chair pointed out that Arctic parliamentarians have the responsibility to defend Arctic cooperation in other fora and in their respective parliaments.

Another Canadian delegate also stressed the importance of joint scientific initiatives in the Arctic. He asked Dr. Magnus Augner about the capacity of carbon uptake by land. According to Dr. Magnus Augner, trees have a carbon binding capability and, therefore, the protection of forests is vital. However, he also pondered about the limited buffering capacity of forests given the rapid rise of carbon emissions.

D.   ARCTIC RESILIENCE ASSESSMENT

Dr. Marcus Carson, a Senior Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute, updated the Standing Committee on the work on Arctic Resilience Assessment at the Arctic Council.[8] The Final Report will be presented to the Arctic Council in fall 2016, and the identified key to resilience is societal capacity for adaptation and transformation in the context of environmental changes.

A Canadian delegate noted that, although environmental changes can carry negative impacts, such as potential fisheries collapses highlighted in Dr. Marcus Carson’s presentation, there can also be a silver lining to some of the changes. In northern Canada, for example, there have been some observed changes to salmon migration patterns that could benefit northern rivers. 

E.   PREPARATIONS FOR THE 12^TH CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE ARCTIC REGION, RUSSIA, JUNE 2016

The Russian delegation presented to the Standing Committee an overview of the host city, Ulan-Ude, for the upcoming 12^th CPAR. Canada was designated as the Standing Committee’s rapporteur for the second session that will focus on Inhabitants in a Changing Arctic.

The first draft of the Conference Statement was presented to the Standing Committee by the Secretariat. Amendments and suggestions for new recommendations must be submitted to the Secretariat by 30 April 2016, and the second draft will be presented during the next Standing Committee’s meeting in Norway in May.

F.    ELECTION OF NEW VICE-CHAIR

The Standing Committee decided by consensus that Mr. Larry Bagnell from Canada will be the new Vice-Chair.[9]

G.   STATUS OF THE WORK OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE

The Canadian delegation reported to the Standing Committee on progress of the construction of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station which is slated to open in 2017. Canada also plans to build a deep-sea port in Iqaluit as well as a small-craft harbour in Pond Inlet. The creation of infrastructure to support food security, fisheries and the local economy was mentioned in Recommendation #6 in the Whitehorse Conference Statement.[10]

Furthermore, the Canadian delegation reported on the commitment of the new federal government in establishing more marine protected areas, potentially in the Canadian Arctic. It also mentioned to the Standing Committee planned infrastructure investments, which include green and social infrastructures, that could potentially benefit populations in northern Canada. Investments in infrastructure in northern regions were also called for by Recommendation #7 in the Whitehorse Conference Statement.

Finally, the Canadian delegation pointed out that, on 12 February 2016, Canada, the United States, and Mexico signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Climate change and Energy collaboration in an effort to accelerate innovation in clean energy technologies, including renewables. Support for the development of renewable energy was called for by Recommendation #4 in the Whitehorse Conference Statement.

H.   FUTURE MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE 

The next meeting of the Standing Committee is scheduled for 23 to 24 May 2016 in Bodo, Norway. The meeting in Bodo will be held back to back with High North Dialogue from 24 to 26 May 2016, and Arctic Business Conference from 25 to 26 May 2016, two events to which members of the Standing Committee are invited to attend.

The theme of this year’s High North Dialogue will be The Blue Future of the Arctic. Discussions among Arctic leaders will focus on environmental changes and economic development taking place in the Arctic Ocean.

 

Respectfully submitted,