politics
Alaskan Inuit Leaders Release Arctic Strategy: “A Statement to the World for the Arctic We Want”
As global attention on the Arctic intensifies, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) Alaska released the first-ever Alaskan Inuit Arctic Strategy, a "bold and unified statement to the world", asserting Inuit sovereignty, self-determination, and leadership in the Arctic.
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The Strategy was officially released in the opening plenary session at the Arctic Encounter Summit April 16, in Anchorage, Alaska. It calls for transformational policies and actions across five thematic priorities:
- Inuit-Led Development and Conservation
- Climate Change Impact on Inuit Communities
- Inuit-Led Marine Governance
- Inuit Food Security and Food Sovereignty
- Inuit Wellbeing
During the plenary session, Inuit leaders representing ICC Alaska’s four member regions spoke directly to global policymakers, diplomats, industry experts, environmentalists and researchers.
Not engaged
The discussion highlighted emerging challenges and opportunities facing Alaskan Inuit, now and into the future, as the Arctic faces increasing pressures and global interest, underscoring the need to for Inuit-led solutions at every level of decision-making, according to a press release.
The Strategy was spurred by ICC Alaska Board of Directors’ review of the 2022 United States National Strategy for the Arctic Region.
A shared vision to secure the ‘Arctic We Want’
They recognized that, despite good intentions and references to Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge, Alaskan Inuit were not meaningfully engaged in its development, and the Strategy failed to reflect Inuit priorities and lived realities.
State of the Arctic
In response, the ICC Alaska Leadership Summit was held in Anchorage, Alaska, in March 2025. The Summit brought together leadership from ICC Alaska member organizations across the North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Bering Strait, and Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta regions.
Together, they addressed the “State of the Arctic,” and defined shared priorities, to chart a unified path forward. Inuit sovereignty and self-determination were the foundation of the discussions held at the Summit and are strongly reflected on in the Strategy.
“Our Strategy sets forth a shared vision to secure the ‘Arctic We Want’ for generations to come. For far too long, decisions about the Arctic, our people, and our communities have been made without us,” said Marie Greene, ICC Alaska President, in a press release.
“Inuit are not just stakeholders in the Arctic; we are rights-holders, leaders, and decisionmakers. We must be meaningfully engaged in determining our own future.”
Clear direction
The Strategy sets a clear direction and is a call to action: the future of the Arctic must not be defined for Inuit, but by Inuit. Inuit leadership and Indigenous Knowledge are not optional; they are essential. Marie Greene stated;
“Alaskan Inuit will no longer be sidelined in decisions that affect our people and communities. We are defining our own path forward and calling on governments and partners to recognize, support, and respect us.”
Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) Alaska is a non-profit organization that exists as the unified voice and collective spirit of Alaskan Inuit, to promote, protect, and advance Inuit culture and society.
ICC Alaska represents Inupiat, Central Yup’ik, Cup’ik, and Saint Lawrence Island Yupik in the North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Bering Strait, and Southwest Alaska.
