The effectiveness of the Arctic Council

Paula Kankaanpää; Oran R. Young

doi:10.3402/polar.v31i0.17176

Paula Kankaanpää Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
Oran R. Young Bren School, University of California (Santa Barbara)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.17176

Keywords: Arctic Council, effectiveness, governance

Abstract

Created in 1996, the Arctic Council has now been in operation long enough to justify a systematic effort to assess its effectiveness. To explore this topic, we created a questionnaire and circulated it to a large number of individuals who have participated in the work of the council in one capacity or another or who have followed the work of the council closely. This article analyses the quantitative and the qualitative input of those who responded to the questionnaire. The main conclusions are that: the council has achieved considerable success in identifying emerging issues, framing them for consideration in policy venues and raising their visibility on the policy agenda and changes now occurring in the Arctic will require significant adjustments to maintain the effectiveness of the council during the foreseeable future.

Keywords: Arctic Council; governance; Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme; Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna; Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment; Sustainable Development Working Group

(Published: 26 October 2012)

Citation: Polar Research 2012, 31, 17176, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.17176

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Author Biographies

Paula Kankaanpää, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland

Director, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland

Oran R. Young, Bren School, University of California (Santa Barbara)

Research Professor, Bren School, University of California (Santa Barbara)