Finland is taking over the Arctic Council, and climate leadership, from the U.S.
When the Arctic Council leadership passes from the United States to Finland in May, will President Trump and his denial of climate change pose problems for the eight-nation body and its work to protect the circumpolar environment?
Probably not, says a Finnish official involved in the Arctic Council.
For example, a spirit of Arctic partnership in the council has prevailed despite seething global tensions over Russia's annexation of Crimea, its role in Ukraine unrest and its military actions in support of Syria's Assad regime, said René Söderman, a senior adviser for Arctic affairs at the Finnish foreign ministry and one of the leaders of the Finnish delegation to the Arctic Council.
Those factors "could all affect Arctic cooperation, but they haven't," Söderman said. The United States and Russia have put aside the differences they have on non-Arctic issues, he said. "We feel that the U.S. has been very pragmatic and the Russians have been very cooperative within the Arctic Council," he said.
Such Arctic cooperation will likely continue under the Trump administration, he said. The Arctic nations have common interests in promoting environmental protection, sustained development and better living conditions for people in the Arctic, he said.
"Those issues don't know any borders," he said.
Read the full article at Alaska Dispatch News: https://www.adn.com/arctic/2017/03/08/finland-taking-over-arctic-council-and-climate-leadership-from-u-s/