The Arctic Council prepares for COP 15
In a successful two-day meeting in Copenhagen, the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials approved a number of reports and from the Council’s working groups and discussed two new task forces.
The SAO Chair, Mr. Lars Møller, was very satisfied with the decisions taken at the meeting, "The meeting was very productive and we achieved our objectives. I am especially delighted that we now are well prepared for the Arctic Council activities at COP 15."
On climate change, SAOs approved the Arctic Council report on the Greenland Ice Sheet to be presented to the UN Climate Conference in December. Information about the Arctic Council will also be presented at an "Arctic Venue" during the CoP15. SAOs agreed that the Key Messages of Arctic Council's Arctic Biodiversity Trends - 2010: selected indicators of change report will be submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity for inclusion in the upcoming third Global Biodiversity Outlook report.
SAOs approved work on a set of priorities for follow-up activities to respond to the recommendations in the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA) 2009 Report. These include an Arctic Council review of the global and regional measures that are in place for the protection of the Arctic marine and coastal environment, and to enhance cooperation in oil spill prevention.
SAOs also discussed the work of the Arctic Council's new Task Forces on Search and Rescue and on Short-lived Climate Forcers.
Maintaining and strengthening Arctic observation networks is an important priority. The Arctic Council, in cooperation with IASC and other international partners, leads continued work to advance the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) process. In addition, the Arctic Council's Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program continues to enhance coordination of long-term Arctic biodiversity monitoring. Arctic Council assessments, for example on Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA) and the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA), are assessing the most up-to-date scientific information including results from recent IPY research. The Oslo IPY Science Conference to be held 8-12 June 2009 will also be an opportunity to highlight results emerging from the intensive research undertaken duiring the IPY.
The next SAO meeting will be held 28-29 April 2010 in Ilulissat.