Brussels, 11/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - During the Nordic Council of Ministers in Ilulissat (western Greenland), the European Commission, speaking through its representative Joe Borg, confirmed its intention to present a communication on the Arctic region “later this year”. The Arctic is affected by climate change and harbours large untapped reserves of hydrocarbons and other natural resources.
According to Borg, Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, the communication on the Arctic will examine strategic issues ranging from climate change to governance. The aim is to assess how Europe can “best contribute” to sustainable development of the region, while protecting the Arctic from environmental change resulting from increased human activity that such development implies. The Arctic region has growing geopolitical importance in the eyes of the EU due to the rapid thawing of the polar ice cap, which opens up new international maritime trade routes facilitating access to enormous reserves of natural resources. According to Joe Borg, who also expects there to be an economic impact to the benefit of the indigenous communities, the communication will suggest action be taken on three fronts: - safeguarding the Arctic (scientific research, protection of the environment, etc); - promoting sustainable use of reserves (large reserves of hydrocarbons), with regulation of fishing activity; - and governance (review of international treaties on the environment, implementation of international rules on navigation, etc).
The French EU Council Presidency has sent its ambassador for the environment, Laurent Stefanini, and the European Parliament its vice-president, Diana Wallis (ALDE, UK). According to Mr Stefanini, who is cited in an AFP release, the EU, which already has a “window” looking onto the Arctic, would do better to have a “door” allowing it to “enter it”. Diana Wallis called for greater safety at sea given the significant rise in the number of cruises. “A new Titanic is a possibility”, she warned.
“We all know that the Arctic has to face up to many challenges. Climate change, the exploitation of natural resources and new maritime navigation routes are perhaps among the most vital”, summarised Halldór Asgrímsson of Iceland, General Secretary of the Nordic Council of Ministers, cited by AFP. According to the Danish minister for Nordic affairs, Bertel Haarder, “it is important for the EU to be involved in the Arctic as we cannot raise the challenges (of the region) on our own”. “The Arctic is not the Antarctic. There are populations that have been living there since the dawn of time. And it is important for the EU to dialogue with us, make us participate in its Arctic policy, without which it would be devoid of all meaning”, Aleqa Hammond, Greenland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, told AFP. (L.C./transl.jl)