The Arctic. Plays an important role globally as a barometer for the state of the world s environment

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1 The Arctic Council

2 The Arctic Plays an important role globally as a barometer for the state of the world s environment Victim of unsustainable and problematic developments in other parts of the world, particularly regarding climate change and pollution issues. Has a higher potential than other regions to serve as the best example of intergovernmental environmental cooperation.

3 The Arctic Is governed by some of the most developed, influential, economically healthy and powerful countries of the world Canada Denmark/Greenland Finland Iceland Norway Russia Sweden USA

4 No other such large region on earth with so much focus of intergovernmental cooperation on environmental protection and sustainable development Human pressure on environment and diversity of economical interests lower than elsewhere in the world Ecosystem and species diversity is lower and better assessed and monitored than elsewhere

5 Arctic Cooperation Among the highest density of research and monitoring activities on earth. Delivers high quality environmental data and information.

6 Examples exist, where Arctic Cooperation played a positive role for the Global Environment: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

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8 The Ideal Arctic by 2052

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10 (1) The Arctic is the leading region in the world, where the Rio+20 vision of The Future We Want is supported and implemented by concrete examples

11 (2) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)are globally agreed since 2015 and followed and implemented best in the Arctic The Arctic countries had played a leading role reaching the global agreement on SDGs by supporting it politically in general and by supplying convincing examples of measurable SGDs, which could be followed also in other parts of the world.

12 (3) The Arctic Region is the main supporter of the Global Partnership for Oceans Setting the best examples of Sustainable Fisheries Management and Protecting the Marine Environment

13 (4) All Arctic Countries are parties and supporters of UNCLOS, have their shelf boundaries agreed and are peacefully cooperating within a Regional Seas Convention, covering all Arctic, including international waters

14 Future Arctic Shelf boundaries and HC Probabilities (USGS)

15 Best estimate of areas falling outside all future submissions

16 (5) All Arctic countries are parties and supporters of UNFCCC, related protocols and actions to keep further global warming under 2 C. The Arctic Council had long-time agreed on binding measures to reduce black carbon and other short-term climate drivers. The extent of (summer) sea ice, terrestrial permafrost and the volume of glacier ice has been

17 (6) Cooperative work and global agreements on pollution issues, triggered by the Arctic Council, has led to significant reduction of all important pollutants including POPs and heavy metals. Arctic sources such as nickel smelters, nuclear or military sites have been cleaned up. The levels of pollutants measured in top organisms

18 (7) The world s best policies on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) make sure that environmental impacts of mining and infrastructure development are minimized. Today s large unfragmented wild and pristine areas are maintained.

19 (8) The Arctic is the Pioneer Region for Green Shipping. All shipping meets the highest technically possible safety, pollution and energy standards agreed with support of Arctic nations in MARPOL and enforced by IMO.

20 (9) Oil and gas development is restricted to a minimum amount of area impacted, and large reserves are kept untouched for future generations (and better prices). Where oil and gas development takes place, it is done with highest possible safety and environmental standards

21 (10) The CBD Aichy 2020 targets have all been implemented in the Arctic. A representative network of both marine and terrestrial protected areas is established and well managed. All major Arctic biodiversity is maintained and the number of endangered or decreasing populations of species is reduced. World s best examples of Linking Tourism & Conservation are growing in the Arctic and are

22 (11) Arctic people and communities are the world s best examples of living in harmony with nature. Their cultures and life styles continue to thrive, and governmental subsidies and other incentives are focusing on developing Green Economies

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