International Issues

The melting Arctic is attracting increasing international attention. Oceans North is working in two countries – Canada and the United States – whose coastlines together comprise about one third of the Arctic stretching from Davis Strait to Bering Strait. Northern solutions crafted in these waters will provide important precedents for marine conservation along with the work being done by other Arctic countries.

The Arctic Ocean is bordered by five countries – Canada, the United States, Russia, Norway and Greenland (a self-governing overseas administrative division within the Kingdom of Denmark). Other countries are also taking a strong interest in the Arctic because of its resources and role in moderating the world’s climate. International action will be needed to develop conservation solutions to the many environmental threats that transcend national borders.

The following international organizations and initiatives can play a major role in achieving that goal:

• The Arctic Council
• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
• Inuit Circumpolar Council