Arctic ConnectionsArctic Ambassador of Finland

Hannu Halinen

11.12.2014 VeniceHannu Halinen

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International cooperation

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Global

• UN, UNCLOS• IMO, Polar Code• UNEP, UNDP

Regional

Circumpolar•Arctic Council

Euro-Arctic Region•Barents Euro-Arctic Council•Northern Dimension•Nordic Council of Ministers•Council of the Baltic Sea States

Sub-regional and bilateral

• A5• Nordic Countries• Bilateral partnerships

Non-Arctic actors

• Observers in the AC• Other fora,

arrangements

Challenges

• Environment• Security• Sovereignty• National-regional-global• Inclusive vs. exclusive• Social dimension

Arctic Council

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About the Arctic Council

• 1991 AEPS ”Rovaniemi Process”

• 1996 Ottawa Declaration

• The Arctic Council is a high-level, intergovermental forum for political and scientific discussions on issues common to the governments of the Arctic region and its inhabitants.

Member states

Permanent participants

• Aleut International Association (AIA)

• Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC)

• Gwich’in Council International (GCI)

• Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)

• Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON)

• Saami Council (SC)

Working groups

• Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP)

• Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)

• Conservation of the Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)

• Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR)

• Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME)

• Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG)

• Arctic Economic Council Task Force

• Scientific Cooperation Task Force

• Arctic Marine Oil Pollution Prevention Task Force

• Black Carbon and Methane Task Force

Task Forces

Observers • Europe: The Netherlands,

Spain, UK, Italy, Poland, France, Germany, the EU

• Other countries outside Europe: South-Korea, India, Japan, China and Singapore

• Organizations: IFRC, NEFCO, UN-ECE, UNDP, UNEP, WWF among others, 20 observer organizations in total

Arctic Economic Council

• Aim: fostering sustainable development, including economic growth, environmental protection and social development in the Arctic Region

• Focus on responsible resource development

• Independent from the AC• Linkages; value added

Finland’s Arctic VisionSource: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cznr/10559395913

Finland’s Arctic Vision

- Finland is an active Arctic actor with the ability to reconcile business opportunities with requirements of the environment in a sustainable manner while drawing upon international cooperation.

Actions

• Education & Research- Using networks in

interdisciplinary Arctic research

- Invest in education, training and research to strenghten Finland’s position and appeal

• Business opportunities- Assess the business potential

of the Arctic region up to 2030.- Remove barriers to trade,

develop environmental impact assessments and risk management

- Establish Arctic expertise as a Team Finland priority

- Include Arctic in the visits to Finland

- Arctic Strategic Center for Science, Technology and Innovation (SHOK) in research – business relations

• Energy- Promote Finnish energy

technology (including bioenergy and decentralised energy production)

• Arctic Maritime industry and shipping

- Launch a program to boost Arctic shipbuilding, offshore and winter navigation operations

- Key theme in corporate development program

- Build international value networks

• Renewable natural resources, bioeconomy

• Mining- Finland an eco-efficient

minerals industry pioneer by 2020

- Attract more foreign investments, including R&D sector

• Cleantech- Team Finland concept,

another key theme in corporate development program

- Promote export of mechanical oil recovery systems

- Establish an Arctic Center of Excellence in chemical and oil spill recovery in Finland

• Tourism- Major industry and

international export growth sector in the Arctic

- Finland biggest service provider

• Traffic and Transport systems

- IMO Polar Code

• ICT and digital services- High capacity connections- Cloud computing services- Cold climate advantages

• Arctic Environment- SLCFs, Black Carbon, Methane- Develop and complement

the network of conservation areas

- Prevention of oil spills

• Stability- Security and stability

through international cooperation, networking

- Present the comprehensive concept of security model to partners

- Competitiveness of Finnish security and defense research and industry

- Establish the Coast Guard Cooperation Forum for the Arctic

• International cooperation and Finland

- Part of public diplomacy, Team Finland, brand

- Networking, active promotion Finland’s Arctic goals in international fora

- Increase resources in the MFA and throughout the Government

• Arctic Cooperation- Strengthening the Arctic

Council- Addressing trade barriers

(EU vs. the US and Canada)

- IMO Polar Code

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