It is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.
The Arctic Council works as a consensus-based body to deal with issues such as the change in biodiversity, melting sea ice, plastic pollution, and black carbon.
The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental body set up in 1996 by the Ottawa.
The Council has eight circumpolar countries as members(Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States).
As of May 2019, thirteen non-Arctic states have Observer status (Observers have no voting rights in the Council).
In 2019, India has been re-elected as an Observer to the Council.
Arctic Council Secretariat:Tromsø, Norway.
India does not have an offi cial Arctic policy and its Arctic research objectives have been centered on ecological and environmental aspects, with a focus on climate change, till now.
The work of the Council is primarily carried out in six Working Groups.
Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP):It acts as a strengthening and supporting mechanism to encourage national actions to reduce emissions and other releases of pollutants.
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP):It monitors the Arctic environment, ecosystems, and human populations, and provides scientifi c advice to support governments as they tackle pollution and adverse effects of climate change.
Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF):It addresses the conservation of Arctic biodiversity, working to ensure the sustainability of the Arctic’s living resources.
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Working Group (EPPR):It works to protect the Arctic environment from the threat or impact of an accidental release of pollutants or radionuclides.
Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group:It is the focal point of the Arctic Council’s activities related to the protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment.
Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG):It works to advance sustainable development in the Arctic and to improve the conditions of Arctic communities as a whole.
Arctic Council