A Polar Bear on the Cover of the March issue of SMITHSONIAN Magazine Announces an Article “Polar Bears on the Edge” in that Issue.

On September 19, 1996, the eight Arctic States signed the Ottawa Declaration, establishing the Arctic Council to enhance cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous Peoples and other Arctic inhabitants according to a press release issued today by the Council.  When the Council was established 25 years ago, it was one of the first major arenas for cooperation between the Arctic States following the Cold War.  Today, the Council has grown into an influential forum that has created trustful relationships between the Arctic States and Indigenous Peoples.  The Council produces groundbreaking reports, contributes to international conventions and legally binding agreements and coordinates joint action on the most vital issues in the region.

The Arctic Council’s work has always centered around improving the well-being of Arctic inhabitants, protecting the Arctic environment and promoting sustainable development throughout the region.  As climate change continues to rapidly impact the Arctic, warming three times faster than any other place in the world, the Council’s work is never more important to promote a positive agenda and coordinate joint action to secure a prosperous future for all inhabitants according to the press release.

:Today, the Arctic represents a unique, but fragile ecosystem, people who live and work there and a huge potential for common development,” said Sengey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation and Chair of the Artic Council.  “It is good to see that, despite the complexities in global affairs, interstate relations in high latitudes continue to develop in a constructive manner.  I am delighted to note that this engagement is largely possible due to the work of the Arctic Council.  A quarter of a century of persistent, meticulous work on building a system of interaction really paid off.”