Pressure increases on Arctic environment

News Published 25 Jan 2007 Last modified 21 Jun 2016

Topics: Climate change mitigation ,

'The Arctic region provides the industrialised world with an opportunity to turn rhetoric into practice in terms of sustainable development, resource sharing and restrained resource use', Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA, told an invited audience at the Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway.

Bright ice

EEA Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade gave a speech to the Arctic Council in Tromsø, Norway

The conference focused simultaneously on the development potential of the Arctic region and the environmental challenges this presents.

'Although the Arctic's unique nature is relatively undisturbed, there are growing signs of threats', Professor McGlade said, before calling for leadership and cooperation in the circumpolar region.

'A regional treaty for the polar ocean is necessary to ensure environmental regulations are in place before the ice retreats and reveals a new ocean — open for resource extraction and new shipping routes', she said.

Norway, current chair of the Arctic Council, has highlighted 'integrated marine management' as a key priority, a move welcomed by Professor McGlade. However, she also stressed Norway's responsibility to protect the region from unsustainable oil extraction activities as well as achieving its Kyoto targets on greenhouse gas emissions.

Read Professor McGlade's speech

Read the EEA/UNEP report: Arctic environment: European perspectives

Permalinks

Permalink to this version: cbe074e255372f3cf23a51caf1431b97
Permalink to latest version: I3KF5HMJ9B

Document Actions

For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/pressure-increases-on-arctic-environment or scan the QR code.

PDF generated on 23 Jun 2017, 05:14 AM

Circular economy in Europe: we all have a role to play

To most people the idea of a circular economy remains an abstract if not far-off concept. While ‘going green’ is a growing popular theme around the world, many people are not yet aware of the greater ...