Roundup: Forum in Norway calls for responsible development of the Arctic

Participants of the Arctic Frontiers conference held in Norway's northern city of Tromso urged on Tuesday a responsible development of the Arctic region as a global crossroad between commercial and environmental interests.

"The rapid pace of developments in the Arctic - driven by climate change, but also by strategic considerations and high economic and commercial interests - has contributed to this increased attention to the Arctic in recent years," Iceland's Minister of Industry and Commerce Ragnheidur Elin Arnadottir told the conference.

She noted that protection and sustainable utilization of the ocean resources have received greater attention in recent years as challenges of potential illegal and unregulated fisheries and added risk of environmental spills are emerging in the Arctic.

"We should have a vision of the Arctic not as a place of exploitation for short-term gain, but as a region of dynamic communities based on sustainable livelihoods and respect for the region's unique nature," Arnadottir said.

Martin Sommerkorn, Head of Conservation at WWF Global Arctic Programme, also called for a longer-term perspective on the region's sustainable development as more investment is expected to be made in utilizing the Arctic's resources.

"The formal economy of the Arctic revolves largely around resource extraction, predominantly of non-renewable resources...The investment driven by this sector of the economy is likely to increase significantly in the near future," he said.

"Today the Arctic is desperately lacking buy-in to a coherent long-term vision and plan on sustainable development," Sommerkorn said. "Sustainable development is a central principle enshrined in the founding document of the Arctic Council, but while they have agreed to the principle, the states have not charted a course to achieve it yet."

The Arctic Council, founded in 1996, is a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic. It includes eight countries with territories in the Arctic -- Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.

"The Arctic Council is making many positive changes, but there is dire need of that longer-term perspective, a vision of how to implement sustainable development goals, and a plan to implement that vision," Sommerkorn said.

Officials from some Arctic countries insisted that their governments have been utilizing the region in a sustainable way and making protection of its environment as one of their top priorities.

"For centuries, Iceland's social and economic well-being has been shaped by the natural riches and climatic conditions of the North. Our interests in the Arctic are manifold and the Government of Iceland has identified developments in the Arctic and Iceland's role in both managing and protecting it, as one of our top priorities," Arnadottir said.

"We speak from first-hand experience, coming from Iceland as we have been fortunate enough to be able to utilize our energy sector in a sustainable manner for decades, with a focus on geothermal energy and hydropower," she added.

Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien also noted that his country has long experience as an Arctic petroleum nation and its activities in the north are based on "the highest health, safety and environmental standards."

"No activity will be permitted unless it meets our strict standards. This includes catering for both new and traditional industries living side by side," he said in his speech at the conference.

"Furthermore, there is no race for natural resources in the Arctic. The activity is regulated through both international and national laws, and the area is not a high tension region," Lien said.

The week-long tenth Arctic Frontiers conference kicked off on Sunday as more than 1,300 delegates from around the world gathered in Tromso to discuss the balance between industrial and environmental interests in the Arctic.

During the conference, slated for Jan. 24 to 29 and titled "Industry and Environment," policymakers, researchers, businessmen and others are expected to give their views on the balance between resource utilisation and preservation in the region.

The Arctic Frontiers conference has become one of the main platforms for discussions of Arctic issues to ensure a sustainable development in the region over the past decade. Enditem