The Arctic Council

The Arctic Council (AC) is the leading intergovernmental organisation of the eight circumpolar Arctic states with sovereignty over the territories that comprise the Arctic. The eight countries are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The AC is often referred to as a high-level intergovernmental forum. The government representatives at the ministerial level from these countries join in the central decision-making process. The institutional structure of the AC is also designed to engage indigenous peoples' organisations of the Arctic in the process as political partners. Accordingly, the representatives of Arctic indigenous peoples have a unique place in the AC as permanent participants.

The foundation of the AC is rooted in the institutional framework of the Protection of the Arctic Environmental Strategy (AEPS), established in 1991. The Rovaniemi Process assembled the environmental ministers from all eight Arctic states, who signed the Declaration on the Protection of the Arctic Environment, thereby created the institutional structure of the AEPS. The AEPS was eventually merged with and incorporated into the AC, given that the participants and functions of both frameworks overlapped. 

The founding document of the AC was the Ottawa Declaration, signed by the Arctic countries in 1996. Its goal was to institutionalise cooperative actions to address vital issues such as environmental protection and sustainable development in the Arctic in close cooperation and consultation with the region's indigenous peoples. The unique nature of the AC structure lies in its inclusion of indigenous peoples as partners with the state representatives. It recognises the status of indigenous peoples as political players in inter-governmental decision-making forums.

Today, the AC has become the most credible body for Arctic governance, promoting broader engagement, primarily between the Arctic nations and indigenous peoples. However, the AC also seeks to engage other stakeholders, including non-Arctic states and non-governmental organisations in issues related to sustainable development and environmental protection. The AC does not have the status of an inter-governmental organisation as defined by international law. The Arctic countries did not intend to form the AC as an international organisation. It was created through the Ottawa Declaration, which characterised the document as legally non-binding. Nevertheless, the policy decisions and resolutions produced within its framework are often regarded as soft law.

In addition to promoting political cooperation and interactions among its members, the AC supports scientific knowledge through scientific research on issues related to the management of Arctic resources, protection of the environment and promotion of sustainable development. The Ottawa Declaration outlaws issues related to military security though, the scientific and policy assessments produced under the framework of the AC, address issues related to a revised and expanded definition of security, such as human security.

The knowledge resulting from the AC's work is often translated into policy measures focusing on specific actions and methods for implementation. Some measures propose binding legal obligations for the Arctic nations, for which the AC provides guidance. For example, the AC served as the venue, and facilitator for negotiating three legally binding regulations for the Arctic nations, including the following:

• The 2011 Arctic Search and Rescue Agreement (Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic).
• The 2013 Arctic Oil Spill Agreement (the Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic).
• The 2017 Arctic Scientific Cooperation Agreement (the Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation).