Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Finland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council: Setting Priorities and Implementing Them

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Leadership for the North

Part of the book series: Springer Polar Sciences ((SPPS))

  • 610 Accesses

Abstract

Finland became the Chair of the Arctic Council in May of 2017. It has now passed the halfway point in its leadership term with its program of “Exploring Common Solutions” to Arctic needs. This chapter focuses its attention on how and why the specific elements of this thematic program were chosen and the progress that the Finnish Chairmanship has made, thus far, in advancing its objectives. The specific sponsored initiatives of the program are discussed as a reflection of both Finnish priorities and current institutional efforts. Finland’s leadership goals, methods, and roles are examined within the context of providing the Arctic Council with the necessary direction to achieve its long-term objectives. Consideration is given to the particularly challenging international environment in which the Finnish Chairmanship operates.

The author would like to thank Heikki Kontro and Krittika Singh for research assistance to this article.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    During the same time, Finland became also the chair of the Arctic Economic Council, the Arctic Coast Guard Forum and the Arctic Offshore Regulators Forum. All these international forums are directly or indirectly catalyzed by the Arctic Council, even if they are independent from the Council.

  2. 2.

    See Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, 14 June 1991 ILM 30, at 1624–1669 (1991) (hereinafter AEPS).

  3. 3.

    See the History of the Arctic Council at https://arctic-council.org/index.php/en/about-us/arctic-council. Also see Evan T. Bloom, “Establishment of the Arctic Council,” The American Journal of International Law 93, no. 3 (1999): 712–22.

  4. 4.

    The Program for the Finnish Chair of the Arctic Council 2000–2002 can be found at https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/1781

  5. 5.

    This is at least so in principle. While national interests often loom in the background, the Chair’s priorities also serve to consolidate that nation’s Arctic expertise.

  6. 6.

    Finland’s Strategy for the Arctic Region 2013 can be accessed at https://vnk.fi/documents/10616/334509/Arktinen+strategia+2013+en.pdf/6b6fb723-40ec-4c17-b286-5b5910fbecf4

  7. 7.

    Interviews with Aleksi Härkönen (2.5.2018) and Tero Vauraste (3.5.2018, done by Heikki Kontro).

  8. 8.

    For instance, the Canadian Chairmanship was more business-oriented, but this business orientation was manifested in facilitating the establishment of the AEC. It seems that these misunderstandings were solved when the AEC and the Arctic officials started discussions, which were seen as fruitful by both sides and led also to better understanding of what can be attained both with the AC chairmanship and the AEC chairmanship. The foreign ministry’s Arctic officials perceive that Finland’s chairmanship priorities also advance business interests, albeit indirectly. For instance, better connectivity and meteorological information provide information infrastructure for companies to function, not simply in the Finnish north, but in the entire Arctic region. It would be difficult to imagine how the Finnish Chairmanship could actually be more business-oriented, especially that digitalization is one of the priorities, which directly links up with the main focus of the current AEC work.

  9. 9.

    Indigenous peoples organizations (Permanent Participants) have a unique role in the Arctic Council, since they need to be fully consulted before any decision-making. Hence, any future chair needs to pay attention to their acceptance of chairmanship programme as well. On the role and participation of permanent participants in the Arctic Council, see Dalee Sambo Dorough, “The Rights, Interests and Role of the Arctic Council Permanent Participants,” in Governance of Arctic Shipping: Balancing Rights and Interests of Arctic States and User States, vol. 84, Publications on Ocean Development (Brill Nijhoff 2017), 68–103.

  10. 10.

    See Exploring Common Solutions, Finland’s Chairmanship Program for the Arctic Council 2017–2019 (hereinafter ‘Chairmanship Program’).

  11. 11.

    In the Foreign Ministry, the Arctic team consists also of Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Annariina Kukkoen and Marta Rissanen. Obviously there are other officials in other ministries that have various duties during the Finnish Chairmanship. The current author is co-lead of the Social, Economic and Cultural Expert Group (SECEG) together with Saara Tervaniemi from the Sami Council. Arja Rautio from the University of Oulu is the lead of the Arctic Human Health Expert Group. Finland is also leading the Arctic Coast Guard Forum and the Arctic Economic Council, but these are independent organizations from the Arctic Council.

  12. 12.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (Done by Heikki Kontro, 2.5)

  13. 13.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (Done by H.K, 2.5.).

  14. 14.

    Interview with Tero Vauraste (done by H.K 3.5.).

  15. 15.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (done by H.K., 2.5.)

  16. 16.

    Personal observations.

  17. 17.

    Personal discussions in Fairbanks with officials from many Arctic countries.

  18. 18.

    Personal observations from the Ministerial Meeting. Now we know what that stance is since Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris agreement. See Statement by President Trump on the Paris Climate Accord, June 1, 1017 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-president-trump-paris-climate-accord/; U.S. Department of State, Media Note dated August 3, 2017: Communication Regarding Intent To Withdraw from Paris Agreement, U.S. Department of State can be accessed at https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/08/273050.htm

  19. 19.

    See Finland’s Chairmanship Program supra note 10 at 9.

  20. 20.

    Ibid., at 8.

  21. 21.

    For more information on the WMO’s Observer profile, see http://aim-council.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/our-work2/8-news-and-events/461-observer-wmo

  22. 22.

    See the Fairbanks declaration (specifically paragraph 44) https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/bitstream/handle/11374/1910/EDOCS-4072-v5-ACMMUS10_FAIRBANKS_2017_Fairbanks_Declaration-2017.pdf?sequence=9&isAllowed=y . For more information on the WMO’s Observer profile, see http://aim-council.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/our-work2/8-news-and-events/461-observer-wmo

  23. 23.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (H.K., 2.5.2018).

  24. 24.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (H.K., 2.5.2018).

  25. 25.

    See Finland’s Chairmanship Program supra note 10 at 7.

  26. 26.

    Interview with Aleksi Hörkönen (H.K. 2.5.).

  27. 27.

    See Finland’s Chairmanship Program supra note 10 at 6.

  28. 28.

    See Proposed U.S. Arctic Council Chairmanship Program 2015–2017 (February 2015) at 22. https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/bitstream/handle/11374/1433/USCHAIR_Doc1_Proposed_US_Chairmanship_Program_Feb_2015_AC_SAO_CA04.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

  29. 29.

    The Paris Agreement 12 December 2015, entered into force 4 November 2016 in accordance with Article 21(1) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) No. 54113. Article 7 of the Agreement has a special focus on adaptation.

  30. 30.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (H.K. 2.5.).

  31. 31.

    There is one tiny exception to this, since Finland as a chair gave a presentation on the work of the Arctic Council at the UN’s 2002 Johannesburg Summit. The document can be accessed at https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/bitstream/handle/11374/512/ACSAO-FI03_5_Johannesburg.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

  32. 32.

    SDG Conferences.

  33. 33.

    See the country ranking at https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/topics/aktuelle-meldungen/2016/juli/countries-need-to-act-urgently-to-achieve-the-un-sustainable-development-goals/

  34. 34.

    See the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly 25 September 2015, UN G.A. A/RES/70/1 http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E

  35. 35.

    See Arctic Council SDWG Strategic Framework

  36. 36.

    See Terms of Reference of the SDWG https://arctic-council.org/index.php/en/about-us/working-groups/sdwg. Recently, high level Conferences were organised for promoting a better understanding of the SDGs for the Arctic. See ‘The SDGs in the Arctic’, International High Level Conference organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, 1 December 2017. Available at http://um.dk/en/foreign-policy/the-arctic/the-sdgs-in-the-arctic/. See also Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference: http://www.rovaniemiarcticspirit.fi/news/UN-Sustainable-Development-Goals-in-the-Arctic-region-–-economy,-science,-and-the-next-generations/xcybq3lk/f6fa20d2-4ffc-47d6-b7c9-20833edc378e

  37. 37.

    This will be organized in May 2019 in Rovaniemi, Finland.

  38. 38.

    More information on the project can be accessed at http://www.sdwg.org/activities/sdwg-projects-2017-2019/teacher-education-for-diversity-and-equality-in-the-arctic/

  39. 39.

    Personal observations from the SAO meeting. News from the meeting can be accessed here https://www.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/our-work2/8-news-and-events/486-sao-levi-2018-02

  40. 40.

    More information on the Task Force can be found here https://arctic-council.org/index.php/en/about-us/subsidiary-bodies/task-forces

  41. 41.

    See the Fairbanks declaration (specifically Article 19) supra note 21. Also Refer to the Senior Arctic Officials’ Report to Ministers 2017, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States (11 May 2017) at 83.

  42. 42.

    See at http://www.sdwg.org/activities/sdwg-projects-2017-2019/arctic-eia/arctic-eia-new/. Of interest is that during the AEPS, the predecessor of the Arctic Council, there was a project that ended with the endorsement in 1997 of the Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment in the Arctic. See also Timo Koivurova et al., Environmental Impact Assessment in the Arctic: A Guide to Best Practice (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016).

  43. 43.

    See Black Carbon and Methane Expert Group https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/1167. See also Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions. An Arctic Council Framework for Action. Annex 4 Iqaluit 2015 SAO Report to Ministers.

  44. 44.

    See in Finnish at http://www.kaleva.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/ulkoministerio-lannen-medialle-suomi-tavoittelee-yha-arktisen-alueen-huippukokousta/791550/

  45. 45.

    The author would like to thank Gosia Smieszek for having identified this as a good practise.

  46. 46.

    The consortium based at the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi won and is run by the current author. It includes experts from the Arctic Centre, the Finnish Institute for International Affairs (FIIA) and the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). This is an inter-disciplinary (within social sciences) group of experts, many of whom have followed - and directly participated in the work of - the Arctic Council and/or Arctic affairs for years. See the website https://lacris.ulapland.fi/en/projects/finlands-arctic-council-chairmanship-in-the-times-of-rising-uncertainty(a485f3a2-8218-4696-8874-48aa1c1edb95).htm.

  47. 47.

    Summary Report, SAO Plenary meeting, Oulu, Finland, October 2017 10–11. Other documents from the meeting can be retrieved at https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2030

  48. 48.

    See Summary Report, SAO Plenary meeting, Levi, Finland, March 2018 (especially item 14) https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/bitstream/handle/11374/2165/SAOFI202_2018_LEVI_Summary-Report.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

  49. 49.

    SAO Chair Aleksi Härkönen was invited to the meeting in Poland on May 11 2018 by the non-Arctic states Observers to the Arctic Council. This was an extension of a tradition begun under the Danish Chairmanship.

  50. 50.

    See the Alaskan Arctic Council host committee webpage, at http://fm.kuac.org/term/alaska-arctic-council-host-committee

  51. 51.

    Ibid.

  52. 52.

    The current author is the chair of the steering committee meeting, and in general the Arctic Centre (of the University of Lapland (especially Anne Raja-Hanhela) is part of a team that is planning the meetings in different Lappish localities. All the members of the steering committee can be seen from the website of the host committee.

  53. 53.

    See the website of the Lapland Arctic Council host committee, at https://www.laplandhostcommittee.fi/LaplandHostCommittee

  54. 54.

    Timo Koivurova and Malgorzata Smieszek, From the Rovaniemi Process to Exploring Common Solutions: Finland’s Priorities in the Changing Arctic, at http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2017/06/08/rovaniemi-process-exploring-common-solutions-finland%E2%80%99s-priorities-changing-arctic

  55. 55.

    See Finland’s First Chairmanship program supra note 4.

  56. 56.

    Ibid.

  57. 57.

    Interview with Aleksi Härkönen (H.K 2.5.).

  58. 58.

    The Arctic Centre is currently leading the team that provides knowledge to the chairmanship team and is also leading the Lapland Arctic Council host committee. See the project ‘Finland’s Arctic Council Chairmanship in the times of rising uncertainty’ supra note 41. The Arctic Centre is also disseminating information about Finland during the chairmanship via its Arctic-Finland portal https://www.arcticfinland.fi/EN

  59. 59.

    For instance, cooperation between outgoing and incoming chairmanship, stronger co-operation with independent organizations that have been established directly or indirectly by the action of the AC (in particular the AEC, but also UArctic, and less so the Arctic Coast Guard Forum and the Arctic Offshore Regulators Forum) and long-term strategy for the Arctic Council. Finland also places strong emphasis on the work with the Observers, and has already presented the program to vast amount of Observers.

  60. 60.

    Personal observations in SDWG meetings in Inari and Levi.

  61. 61.

    Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement to prevent unregulated high seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (12 June 2018) can be accessed here https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A0453%3AFIN

  62. 62.

    A summit to confirm long-term strategic goals for the Arctic Council. See Finland’s Chairmanship Program supra note 10 at 17.

  63. 63.

    Ibid. On tasking Finland with drafting the first ever long-term strategy also see paragraph 34 of the Fairbanks Declaration supra note 21.

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arctic Centre (University of Lapland), Rovaniemi, Finland

    Timo Koivurova

Authors
  1. Timo Koivurova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timo Koivurova .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Douglas C. Nord

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Koivurova, T. (2019). Finland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council: Setting Priorities and Implementing Them. In: Nord, D. (eds) Leadership for the North. Springer Polar Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03107-7_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation