The debt of the USA? The Arctic Council fails to climate of the armed

The Arctic Council can at the end of the two-year presidency of Finland on the closure Declaration. The explanation for the difference was the Finnish foreign Minister, Timo Soini differences of opinion on the issue of climate change.

Although the foreign Ministers of the member States, published on Tuesday in the Finnish Rovaniemi is a common opinion known, among other things, to the maintenance of peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic region. A usual so-called Joint Declaration, it was not, however.

"It is clear that we are in some of the Affairs of other opinion," said Soini as Council President in front of journalists. The Council's decisions were always based on unanimity, he replied to the question of whether the Lack of a final Declaration was due to objections by the United States to mention of the climate .

"We have not recognized that a statement in a traditional way, this time was possible." A culprit he did not want to name. It could not be denied that there is climate different views. "It is clear that these climate issues are not resolved at this Meeting," said Soini.

majority sees climate challenge

in addition to the common opinion of the Minister, the Council also published a statement from Soini. In it, he wrote, the majority of the members of the Council consider climate change as a fundamental challenge for the Arctic. This majority is committed to the urgent need to combat climate change.

Although the climate change is felt in the Arctic are particularly strong, but had left him US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo in a speech on Monday largely unmentioned. He merely referred to statistics which showed that the USA had reduced their CO2 in the energy sector by 14 percent.

Instead, Pompeo used his speech to warn China and Russia in front of unsubstantiated claims and unilateral action in the Region North of the Arctic circle.

The Arctic Council was established in 1996. Him to Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and several indigenous peoples in addition to Finland, the USA and Russia.

of heating

The affected Region is particularly strongly affected by global warming, the average temperatures are rising more than twice as fast as in the Rest of the world. The melting polar ice exposes new routes for shipping. Also because of suspected Oil and gas reserves under the Arctic ice, the Region is becoming increasingly of strategic importance.

Finland took over the presidency in 2017, of the United States. On Tuesday, there was more of him in Iceland. The foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson said his country wanted to build on the excellent work of Finland. The sustainable development of the Region will be the focus of the Icelandic chairmanship.

priorities for the marine environment, the climate, green energy as well as the peoples that lived in the area. The Arctic should remain a Region of Dialogue and peaceful cooperation.

(oli/sda)

Created: 07.05.2019, 15:13 PM