© ACS

New This Way Up episode explores 30 years of Arctic Council cooperation

September 16, 2026
Arctic Council insiders share behind-the-scenes reflections on pivotal moments in the past and offer insights into its future

To mark the Arctic Council’s 30th anniversary, This Way Up, the Arctic Council podcast, released a special episode exploring how the Council has evolved over three decades, including what has enabled this cooperation to endure through turbulent times.

Titled “Behind the Scenes: Arctic Council 30”, the anniversary episode brings together Arctic Council insiders from across its history, including people who helped establish it, shaped its work and guided it through some of its most challenging moments.

The episode features reflections from former Governor General of Canada and “Mother of the Arctic Council” The Right Honorable Mary Simon; Chief Bill Erasmus of the Arctic Athabaskan Council; Gunn-Britt Retter of the Saami Council; former Senior Arctic Official Chairs David Balton and Morten Høglund; Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group Chair Benjamin Strong; Chairship Youth Committee member Taylor Jobin; and former Sustainable Development Working Group Executive Secretary Jennifer Spence.

Rather than revisiting the Arctic Council’s history chronologically, the episode offers personal stories and behind-the-scenes insights into some of the moments that have shaped the Council – from the negotiations that established the Permanent Participant model, to landmark assessments and agreements, the unprecedented pause in official meetings in 2022 and the “new phase” of the Council.

The guests reflect on what has made the Arctic Council both distinctive and resilient, including its consensus-based approach, the role of Indigenous Peoples and the relationships and trust built through decades of circumpolar cooperation.


© The Right Honorable Mary Simon
“When we first started discussing it amongst the eight Arctic nations, we felt that it would be an organization that would foresee the future of what was happening in the Arctic. The relevancy of the Arctic Council has not diminished. It has changed.” The Right Honorable Mary Simon, former Governor General of Canada and lead negotiator for the Arctic Council

The episode also looks to what may lie ahead for Arctic cooperation. Guests discuss the Council’s role in a changing geopolitical landscape, the importance of maintaining cooperation on shared Arctic challenges and what the next 30 years could hold.

Reflecting on some of the Council’s biggest achievements, including three internationally-binding agreements, Ambassador David Balton, former Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials (U.S. 2015-2017) said:

“Those agreements had something interesting in common. They were all co-chaired by the United States and Russia, at a time when the United States and Russia were having difficulties with one another. Yet, it proved to the world that those two governments could come together and do something not only in their mutual interest, but in the interests of all the Peoples of the Arctic. The fact [they] could work together then remains a lesson that may even be applicable today. We can find things that we want to do and can do together.” David Balton, Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center and former Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials (U.S. 2015-2017)

© David Balton

Benjamin Strong, Chair of the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response Working Group, emphasized:


© Benjamin Strong
“We've talked about geopolitics – the work is really hard, and it's never been harder. I've never been more inspired by the people that I work with. I've never been more inspired by the commitment to ensure that the Arctic is safe. We have important work to do, and it will continue well beyond and into the next 30 years.” Benjamin Strong, Chair of the EPPR Working Group

Explore the conversations behind the episode

The podcast episode is accompanied by a dedicated webpage featuring the full expanded interviews with each of the podcast guests. The longer interviews offer additional stories, perspectives and reflections that could not all be included in the podcast, providing even more insight into the people, decisions and experiences that have shaped the Arctic Council over the past 30 years.

Listen to the new episode of This Way Up and explore the full interviews on the podcast webpage.

Want to learn more about the Arctic Council? Scroll through the interactive milestone timeline.

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