The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a high level intergovernmental forum to provide a means for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States. The Arctic Council deals with common Arctic issues, with the involvement of the Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants. These issues are, in particular, sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.
The category of Permanent Participant provides for the active participation and full consultation with the arctic indigenous representatives within the Arctic Council. Two new organizations were approved as Permanent Participants at the October 2000 Barrow Ministerial, bringing the total to six.
The Arctic Council is equally open to other arctic organizations of indigenous peoples with a majority of arctic indigenous constituency representing: - a single indigenous people resident in more than one Arctic State or - more than one arctic indigenous people resident in a single Arctic State.
The scientific work of the Arctic Council is carried out in six expert working groups focusing on such issues as monitoring, assessing and preventing pollution in the Arctic, climate change, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, emergency preparedness and prevention in addition to the living conditions of the Arctic residents.
Observer status in the Arctic Council is open to: a. Non-arctic states; b. inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary organizations, global and regional; and c. non-governmental organizations.
Inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary organizations
Arctic Council
France
Germany
Poland
Spain
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
