1 / 17

Indigenous Peoples and the Arctic Council

Indigenous Peoples and the Arctic Council. Structure of the Arctic Council. All indigenous peoples claim the right to self-determination -- the right to autonomy and self-government in matters relating to internal and local affairs.

tariq
Download Presentation

Indigenous Peoples and the Arctic Council

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Indigenous Peoples and the Arctic Council

  2. Structure of the Arctic Council

  3. All indigenous peoples claim the right to self-determination -- the right to autonomy and self-government in matters relating to internal and local affairs. • Includes control over cultural and economic activities, land and resource management and environmental protection. • Indigenous Peoples' Organisations consider it a human right to have decisive influence on the development of projects planned at, in, or influencing their territories.

  4. Inuit Circumpolar Conference ICC established in 1977 represents 125,000 Inuit of Russia (Chukotka), the United States of America (Alaska), Canada and Greenland. established at a time where the rights and interests of the Inuit were increasingly being threatened by the politics of states and animal rights organisations taken the lead in environmental and sustainable development work at the Arctic Council and in international negotiations, such as Stockholm POPs Convention United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) observer status granted in 1983

  5. Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) Established in 1990 Represents cultural, economic, environmental, political, and social interests of nearly 40 indigenous peoples of the Russian North with a total population of over 200,000 Focus on self-government, safeguarding of indigenous peoples’ rights and preservation of identity and environment Main objectives: promote the unification of the indigenous peoples of the North; defend the rights and interests of the indigenous peoples; Resolve problems relating to the socio-cultural and economic development of the indigenous peoples.

  6. Saami Council Represents 100,000 Saamis of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russian Federation Goals: to promote the interests of the Saami as a nation; to consolidate the feeling of affinity among the Saami people; to attain recognition for the Saami as a nation and to maintain the economic, social and cultural rights of the Saami in the legislation of the four states. to provide information about Saami people and their political aims. Active internationally on indigenous rights, including founding of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Affairs -- NGO status at the UN ECOSOC and ILO and in the United Nations

  7. Aleut International Association Formed 1998 -- the first formal organization of Aleut people in 180 years. Purpose is to protect the natural resources and the environment of the Aleut homelands Threats include pollution, climate change and the commercial fishing fleets of several nations AIA represents the first effort by Aleuts on both sides of the Bering Sea to cooperate on the mutual goal of protecting natural resources vital for the continuation of the Aleut way of life.

  8. Arctic Athabaskan Council Formed 2000 to create an international organization for northern peoples of Athabaskan descent in Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska Represent approximately 40,000 people in Canada and the United States Founding members include four Alaskan Athabaskan communities three Athabaskan representative bodies on the Canadian side-the Council of Yukon First Nations, representing eleven Yukon First Nations, the Dene Nation, representing 30 First Nations in the Northwest Territories and northern Manitoba, and Métis Nation-Northwest Territories, representing 13 communities Active at the Arctic Council and in several international fora

  9. Gwich’in Council International Represents Gwich'in people northern Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada Alaskan Gwich’in face continuing threat of oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Industrial activity could have long-term negative effects on Porcupine Caribou Herd, which migrates across Gwich’in territory For more than 10 years Gwich’in have carried out extensive lobbying campaign, in Canada, U.S. and Europe Other concerns include climate change, contaminants, sustainable development Joined Arctic Council in 2000

  10. Celebrating the conclusion of POPs negotiations, Johannesburg, Dec. 2000 • Arctic indigenous peoples played a key role in the negotiations that led to the 2001 Stockholm POPs Convention which bans 12 of the most toxic POPs • This is the first international environmental accord to specifically mention the Arctic and its indigenous peoples • Efforts continue to get all nations to ratify and implement the accord • Indigenous efforts will now turn to other substances recently identified in a new Arctic Council pollution assessment, including the United Nations Environment Program sponsored negotiations to ban mercury

  11. Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) • Climate change even bigger threat to the long-term health and well-being of Arctic Indigenous Peoples • First regional climate assessment being carried out in Arctic • Unique combination of science and indigenous knowledge and observations • Assessment and policy recommendations to be delivered to states in late 2004 • Goal for indigenous peoples is to ensure that regional, national and international actions address long-term issues of cultural survival • Direct link between outcomes and right to self-determination

  12. Increased river flows in Siberia Warming of the Arctic Oceanic waters Record low level of stratospheric ozone Increases in ground levels of ultra violet radiation Increases in precipitation Winter temperatures increasing Thawing of previously frozen ground Variations in the ranges of animals and ecosystems Increases in storm surges and coastal erosion Reduced sea ice thickness and extent Observed Climate Changes in the Arctic

  13. Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat (IPS) • Established 1994 • Located in Copenhagen within Greenland Home Rule Government offices • Core funding from Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) with institutional support from Greenland Home Rule • Other funding from Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway, Canada, USA, Iceland, Sweden (2002), Finland

  14. IPS Mandate • Facilitate and assist the Permanent Participants to prepare and submit proposals relevant to the work of the Arctic Council • Gather and disseminate information, and provide and list sources of different forms of knowledge • Facilitate presentation of Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives in the council’s working groups and in meetings of Senior Arctic Officials and Ministers • Raise public awareness of Arctic issues addressed by the council through an integrated communications plan based on the needs of the Permanent Participants • Facilitate meetings and communication between the Permanent Participants • Provide opportunities for co-operative and co-ordinated activities among the Permanent Participants and IPS

  15. For more information: www.arcticpeoples.org

More Related