Norway

Norway in the Arctic

Norwegian territories in the high Arctic include the Svalbard archipelago and the island of Jan Mayen in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea. Norway's sovereignty over Svalbard and its territorial waters is based on the terms of the Svalbard Treaty of 1920. Svalbard is situated between 74 degrees and 81 degrees North, and is the world's most accessible high Arctic Region. Its position, nature and landscape makes Svalbard an excellent site to monitor global environmental changes and a natural research laboratory for a variety of international scientists. In Ny-Alesund permanent research facilities have been established. This international research centre is visited from scientists from all over the world. Ny-Alesund has been designated as "Large Scale Scientific Facility" by the European Union.

The Arctic Ocean is very rich in natural resources. Hunting and fishing have for centuries formed the basis for Norwegian settlements along the coast. Environmentally sound management of marine resources and pollution control has high priority in Norway.

Norway puts great emphasis on polar research. The Polar Environmental Centre established in the city of Tromsø at 70 degrees North, brings together a variety of institutions. The Centre is a powerful concentration of environmental expertise and will promote better coordination and cooperation between the different disciplines of science. The Norwegian Polar Institute participates on the collaboration at the Polar Environmental Centre and is also located in Tromsø.

Norway in the Arctic Council

The established Arctic cooperation under the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) has proven fruitful and strengthened the Arctic states joint efforts to protect the Arctic environment. Norway is strongly committed to developing the Arctic cooperation further, through the establishment of the Arctic Council and welcomes the active participation of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic in the Arctic Council.

Norway finds it important that the underlying principles and contributions of the AEPS programs forms the platform for the future work under the Arctic Council and that the activities initiated under the AEPS are continued. To secure the success of the Council, its work must be based on a policy integrating protection of the environment and sustainable development in the Arctic. The development of cooperative activities under the Arctic Council should be issue and problem driven.

There is an increasing attention towards the Arctic. To avoid duplication with the many initiatives for environmental protection and sustainable development in the Arctic, the Arctic Council should give due consideration to cooperative activities under other fora addressing issues relevant for the Arctic.