politics
Anniversary episode of the Arctic Council podcast:
Arctic Council at 30: Behind The Scenes
In a new special episode of the podcast This Way Up, key figures look back at the Arctic Council’s history, cooperation through turbulent times and the way forward in a geopolitical Arctic.
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The special episode "Behind the Scenes: Arctic Council 30" brings together former and current figures who have played central roles in the history of the Arctic Council.
Among them is former Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, who was instrumental in establishing the council and is referred to as the "mother of the Arctic Council".
"The relevance of the Arctic Council has not diminished. It has changed", Simon says in the podcast.
Cooperation through turbulent times
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 and consists of eight Arctic states and six Indigenous organisations with permanent participant status.
This model of cooperation and the principle of consensus are highlighted as important reasons why the council has survived changing political circumstances.
The agreements had something interesting in common
David Balton, former head of the US representatives to the council, particularly highlights three internationally binding agreements developed through cooperation between the United States and Russia.
"Those agreements had something interesting in common. They were all led by the United States and Russia at a time when the United States and Russia had problems with each other", Balton says.
According to him, the process showed that the two countries could cooperate on issues that were both in their own interests and in the interests of people across the Arctic.
“The fact that they were able to cooperate then is still a lesson that may be relevant today. We can identify things we want to do, and that we can do together,” he says.
Russia and a new phase
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to a pause in the Council’s regular work. The seven Western Arctic states halted their participation in meetings with Russia, before cooperation gradually resumed in certain areas.
The anniversary episode also examines this “new phase” and the challenges ahead. Benjamin Strong, Chair of the Council’s Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response working group, stresses that cooperation remains important.
“We have important work to do, and it will continue well into and throughout the next 30 years,” says Strong.
The interviews also discuss the role of Indigenous peoples, the importance of trust and personal relationships, and how the Arctic Council can address an Arctic increasingly shaped by geopolitics.
The longer interviews are available on a dedicated website linked to the anniversary episode.
Listen to the full episode here:
