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Swedish Chairmanship 2011-2013

Sweden’s Chairmanship Programme for the Arctic Council 2011–2013

For the region’s inhabitants, developments in the Arctic are a source of both challenges and opportunities. Climate change affects the cultures of the indigenous peoples and their traditional trades, such as reindeer husbandry, hunting and fishing. At the same time, the business community’s increasing interest in Arctic areas may create opportunities for economically more advantageous living conditions.

During its chairmanship, Sweden will promote negotiation by the Arctic States of a tool for prevention, preparedness and response when extracting oil in the Arctic in order to safeguard the region. To justify development in this sensitive area, it is important that it takes place in accordance with the conditions that are characteristic of the region. Sweden will therefore lead the work on drafting guidelines for responsible entrepreneurship in the Arctic, which are based on existing internationally agreed guidelines on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Responsible entrepreneurship means that companies freely assume responsibility – beyond what is required by applicable legislation – on how their activities affect the environment, labour law conditions, human rights and the prevalence of corruption in their markets of operation. The aim is to create a platform for dialogue and cooperation on sustainable enterprise.

The Arctic is in a phase of rapid and unpredictable change. Climate change is the factor most often mentioned, but increased raw materials extraction and other commercial activities are also major factors of change in the region. It is important to better understand the impact of all these factors on the Arctic and what can be done to reduce the risks that they may entail. The Swedish Chairmanship will therefore conduct a project on the resilience of Arctic nature and communities, i.e. their capacity to manage and overcome disturbances.

One of the most important measures for limiting Arctic warming is to reduce emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases, above all carbon dioxide. Sweden will therefore help to raise the profile of Arctic issues in international forums, with a view to achieving more ambitious global emissions reductions. In the short-term perspective, measures that reduce the presence of short-lived climate forcers (SLCF), such as black carbon, tropospheric ozone and methane, can also play a significant role in limiting climate change, particularly at regional level.

Another important task for the Swedish chairmanship will be to establish the Arctic Council’s permanent secretariat in Tromsø, and revise its procedural provisions. Sweden is leading the negotiations on this issue in a working group for institutional issues.

The Arctic Council’s work should be guided by openness and flexibility to enable it to address topical issues. Sweden will therefore give priority to efforts to strengthen the Arctic Council’s external and internal communications. This will be done at strategic level through the development of a strategic communications plan.

The Arctic Council and its working groups should also link their scientifically based reports to practical decision-making and policy work. Sweden will also work to ensure that previously adopted recommendations are followed up to a greater degree.

On 12 May 2011 Sweden assumed the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

Visit the webpage of Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Read all of Sweden's Chairmanship Programme for the Arctic Council 2011-2013 (pdf 2.4 MB)

Download Sweden's strategy for the Arctic region (pdf 251 KB)

Photo: Arctic environment with the Swedish icebreaker Oden / sjofartsverket.se