Implementation of the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan

21 September 2015

Arctic Council Working Groups ACAP, AMAP, CAFF and PAME all met during the week of 13-18 September 2015 in Tromsø, Norway. To mark the historic occasion, we’ve been highlighting a series of projects from their portfolios. This article focuses on the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan by Working Group PAME.

—–

The Arctic Council’s Arctic Marine Strategic Plan 2015-2025 (AMSP) provides a framework to guide the Council’s actions to protect Arctic marine and coastal ecosystems and to promote sustainable development. The AMSP articulates how the Arctic Council can increase its understanding of the impacts of human activities, climate change and ocean acidification.

The AMSP covers all Arctic marine areas and relates to all key activities affecting Arctic marine ecosystems. The AMSP sets out 40 strategic actions that can be undertaken by the Arctic Council and its subsidiary bodies, in collaboration with accredited Observers of the Arctic Council and other partners, as appropriate. The AMSP addresses both short-term and long-term challenges and opportunities that fall under one or more of the four goals of the AMSP.

The development of an implementation plan for the 40 strategic actions of the AMSP 2015-2025 is meant to provide a structured approach that will track both new and ongoing follow-up activities in close coordination and cooperation with other Arctic Council Working Groups with overall guidance from the Senior Arctic Officials (SAOs). The AMSP implementation plan will be developed during 2015-2017, with the intention that specific activities outlined in the implementation plan will become an integral part of future PAME work plans as approved at biennial Arctic Council ministerial meetings.

NT3