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Papp argues for continued Arctic focus from US-chaired council
As the two-year period of the U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the intergovernmental forum of the Arctic nations, passes its halfway point, Adm. Robert Papp, U.S. special representative for the Arctic, has been focusing on raising awareness of the Arctic in the United States, to affirm the country’s Arctic identity, Papp told a meeting of the Alaska World Affairs Council on Aug. 25.
Papp commented that other countries had become very excited about U.S. leadership in the Arctic Council, given the U.S. reputation for getting things done.
Obama’s visit Meanwhile, President Obama’s three-day visit to Alaska last summer had made the Arctic a top priority for the president and has since made the Arctic a significant issue in Washington, D.C., Papp said. The president has taken several Arctic related actions, including funding for new icebreakers, $4 million to promote innovative energy opportunities for remote Alaska villages, and a pledge to bolster efforts to implement improved navigational tools in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas.
In September the White House is sponsoring a first ever meeting of science ministers from 20 countries, to discuss scientific challenges and coordination in the Arctic, Papp said.
Arctic Council progress Under U.S. chairmanship, the Arctic Council has been making significant progress in implementing council agreements on search and rescue, and on oil spill prevention and response. The White House meeting in September will play into a third binding agreement being negotiated, an agreement for international Arctic science cooperation and access. And under U.S. leadership, the Arctic Council has released first-of-a-kind procedures for the safe operation of unmanned aircraft in the Arctic. An initiative called the Rising Sun is addressing the high rate of suicides among the indigenous peoples of the north. The U.S. chairmanship of the council has also seen the launch of the offshore Arctic regulators forum, a group of petroleum experts dedicated to improving Arctic offshore safety regulations, Papp said
Mapping and communications Another initiative involves working with universities and government agencies to develop more detailed maps and imaging of the Arctic region, including the production of the first ever digital surface map of the circumpolar north. Next year will see the completion of an assessment that will lead to recommendations on how Arctic states can move forward with improved telecommunications, an essential requirement for meeting growing communications needs, including the support of emergency operations. Another Arctic Council initiative is focusing on implementing renewable energy projects in remote Arctic regions.
On the education front, under the Arctic Fulbright Scholarship initiative, the United States is sponsoring 17 scholars from across the Arctic to participate in an 18-month program for research into energy, water, health and infrastructures, with the University of Alaska Fairbanks playing a pivotal role. And the Arctic Youth Ambassadors Program is providing 22 young Alaskans with a platform for sharing their experiences with the world.
Climate change Papp said that he has become particularly concerned about the impacts of climate change in the Arctic. Commenting on the effects of the shrinking sea ice on both marine mammals and the people of the north, Papp stressed the urgency of becoming less dependent on carbon based energy before it becomes too late to deal with the situation. With the signs of climate change all around, it is necessary to start moving forward, Papp said, adding that preparing the Arctic’s future will require careful strategic planning and a shared commitment to international cooperation.
- ALAN BAILEY
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