All Out to Humanize the Natural and
Social
Environment and
Make Canada a Zone for Peace
U.S. Must Be Held to Account for Its Disruption of Arctic Council Meeting
- Peter Ewart -
Published research shows that climate change is
bringing
about the end of the Arctic as we know it due to rising
temperatures, melting ice, changing snow cover, and disappearing
permafrost. Since 1971, eight trillion metric tonnes of land ice
have been lost across the Arctic causing sea levels around the
world to rise and producing enough mass to tip the axis of the
earth. As one researcher says, the "Arctic biophysical system
[is] now clearly trending away from its 20th century state and
into an unprecedented state."
Despite the concerns of humankind about how to humanize
the
natural and social environment to take matters in hand, a day
before the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, held this year
in Rovaniemi, Finland on May 7, U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo delivered a grandstanding 20-minute warmongering speech
designed to ignore the problem of climate change and establish
U.S. hegemony instead. Pompeo blasted China and Russia and what
he characterized as their predatory intentions in the Arctic. He
took the opportunity to unequivocally state that Canada's claim
to the Northwest Passage is "illegitimate."
In his speech, Pompeo stated that the Arctic has become
"an
arena for power and competition" and is "rapidly taking on new
strategic significance." Specifically, he noted how China is
connecting Russia's Northern Sea Route to its "Maritime Silk
Road." According to Pompeo, Beijing "could use its civilian
research presence [...] to strengthen its military presence" and
has a pattern of "aggressive behaviour elsewhere." Furthermore,
he questioned Beijing's characterization of itself as "a
near-Arctic state," arguing that "no third category exists and
claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing."
In regards to Russia, he criticized its claim to what he
termed "the international waters of the Northern Sea Route" and
the increase of its military presence in the region, charging
that "Russian territorial ambitions can turn violent."
While Pompeo spoke enthusiastically about all the
opportunities that the melting ice was opening up for shipping
and resource extraction, he said nothing about the downside of a
rapidly warming Arctic. For instance, he said nothing about the
ramping up of global warming as a result of vast areas of the
region formerly covered with ice and snow no longer reflecting
the rays of the sun, but instead absorbing the solar radiation.
Or that, as the permafrost melts, huge clouds of methane, a
greenhouse gas, will be released into the atmosphere. Or that
weather patterns will be profoundly affected in the rest of the
world because of changes in the jet stream and ocean currents.
Pompeo's comments coincided with the release of a UN report that
estimates a million species on earth are at risk of extinction as
a result, in part, of climate change.
Arctic Council meetings strive to be collegial. Held on
a
biennial basis, representatives from the eight Arctic countries
and six Indigenous participant organizations deliberate on issues
of sustainable development and environmental protection. The
emphasis is on finding ways to work together on common
issues.[1] It is
considered
poor form to bully pulpit prior to the convening of the
meeting.
Arctic Council delegates were stunned by Pompeo's
comments,
news reports indicate. China has observer status at the Arctic
Council and the head of the Chinese delegation, Gao Feng,
commented that Pompeo's speech "left him floored." He further
said that "the business of the Arctic Council is cooperation,
environmental protection, friendly consultation and the sharing
and exchange of views," which the U.S. Secretary of State's
speech completely contradicted.
"China will not interfere in the affairs that purely
belong to
the Arctic countries," Gao said, adding that China has always
adhered to the principle of openness, cooperation and mutual
benefits while taking part in Arctic affairs.
"On the Arctic issue, China has always stressed the
importance
of scientific research, advocate environmental conservation,
reasonable utilization, law-based governance and international
cooperation," he said. "We are neither playing a geopolitical
game nor making an exclusive small circle."
China is willing to work with all sides to contribute to
the
peace, tranquility and sustainable development in the Arctic, Gao
said, adding that the criticisms made by the U.S. official "were
totally incorrect" and "had ulterior motives."
Lassi Heininen, from Finland's University of Helsinki
noted
that typically, in the past, all the attending parties have
worked to establish a good atmosphere because of common
interests. He questioned why Pompeo had acted so aggressively
against China and Russia, noting that both "the content and
timing of the speech were unheard of at Arctic Council
Ministerial meetings, where traditionally, no one state or
minister tries to 'steal the show.'" Heininen added that he hoped
that Pompeo's intervention did not "open a new kind of use of the
Arctic Council, or misuse of it, for other purposes."
Michael Byers, an Arctic expert from the University of
British
Columbia, characterized Pompeo's remarks as "belligerent" and
containing numerous false statements. For example, Pompeo
complained about Chinese investments in Canadian Arctic
infrastructure but such investment is actually non-existent.
One of the most alarming things that happened at the
Arctic
Council meeting was that, for the first time since it was formed
in 1996, the Council was unable to come up with a joint
declaration, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported. The
reason was that the U.S. side blocked any declaration that
contained the words "climate change," despite opposition from
participants in the meeting. Instead, due to a lack of consensus
about what to say on climate change, Finland's Foreign Minister
Timo Soini issued a detailed chair's statement -- the first such
document in the Arctic Council's history, Nunatsiaq News
reports. In it, Soini refers to "a majority of us" around the
Arctic Council table, who supported clauses and issues involving
climate change, such as the need to reduce greenhouse gas and
black carbon emissions and to work on climate change
adaptation.[2]
At the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in 2017, the
U.S.
actually did sign onto a declaration that "clearly cited the
effects of climate change in the Arctic and the need for action
at all levels," one media report indicates. The U.S. government
has given no explanation as to why Pompeo has directly
contradicted this earlier agreement. However, at a press
conference, Pompeo said the Trump administration shares "a deep
commitment to environmental stewardship" but wouldn't sign on to
collective goals like those on black carbon emissions, which, he
claimed, accelerate warming in the Arctic. In that regard, the
Secretary of State even appears to be out of sync with his own
military which categorizes the changing weather and mounting
temperatures as "a threat to national security." The fact is
Pompeo waxed enthusiastically about the opportunity provided by
the melting ice of the Arctic for shipping and resource
extraction, but refused to acknowledge why the ice was melting or
even utter the words "climate change" during the proceedings.
Indigenous representatives condemned the U.S. statements
and
actions, and especially the U.S. blocking of the final joint
declaration over the issue of climate change. Dalee Sambo
Dorough, international chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council,
called the U.S. actions a lack of leadership and a "moral
failure" that represents a serious blow to "the future of what is
supposed to be a consensus based body."
She further commented "Inuit are feeling the effects of
climate change every day. While the U.S. government concerns
itself with semantics, playing games with words, our people are
witnessing the adverse impacts of climate change. What about us
and our reality?"
Jimmy Stotts, President of Inuit Circumpolar
Council-Alaska,
clearly referring to the U.S., said it's time to stop "hiding
from reality" and acknowledge that climate change is real, and
that mankind is responsible for much of it. "We don't understand
those who would argue otherwise," Stotts said. "We believe it's
time to stop bickering to survive."
Stotts also suggested a greater focus by the Arctic
Council on
other key issues for Arctic Indigenous peoples, such as wildlife
management, food security, infrastructure deficits, environmental
issues and "the horror of suicide," Nunatsiaq News
reported. He urged the Arctic Council to get back to its original
idea, that of finding a balance between development and
conservation, the news report said.
All Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland had to
say to
back up her claim that her government supports the Indigenous
peoples of the Arctic was that Canada "plans to earmark more than
$28 million to -- among other things -- support an Arctic Council
sustainable development working group secretariat, to provide
continued assistance for Indigenous groups so they can participate
in the Arctic Council and to help UArctic, a university network
with members around the circumpolar world." She referred to a
recent federal government report on climate change that said
temperatures in the Arctic could rise by 11 degrees Celsius, as
"terrifying." Nothing was said to hold the U.S. to account for
disrupting the ministerial meeting or its stand that Canada's
claim to the Northwest Passage is "illegitimate."
The result was that the eight Arctic nations ended up
signing
a one-page ministerial statement which contained no mention of
climate change and which the six Indigenous participant
organizations refused to endorse. According to the document,
which is on the Arctic Council's website, the ministers
reaffirmed their "commitment to maintain peace, stability and
constructive cooperation in the Arctic," emphasized "the role of
Arctic states in providing leadership in addressing new
opportunities and challenges in the Arctic, working in close
cooperation with the Permanent Participants," recognized "the
right of Arctic indigenous peoples and the unique role of
Permanent Participants within the Arctic Council, as well as the
commitment to consult and cooperate in good faith with Arctic
indigenous peoples and support their meaningful engagement in
Arctic Council activities." In addition, it welcomed "the ongoing
strategic work" and instructed "the Senior Arctic Officials to
continue strategic planning in order to provide guidance and
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Arctic Council
and to report to Ministers in 2021."
The peoples who live in the Arctic have the full support
of
the peoples of the countries which are within the Arctic Circle. There
is widespread worldwide support for the stand of the peoples of the
Arctic to make the Arctic a zone of peace and to deal with climate
change and the other very serious issues facing them. The U.S. striving
for hegemony over the Arctic,
its warmongering and attacks against China and Russia and denial
of Canadian claims over the Northwest Passage require opposition
on the part of Canada if it is to even survive as a nation within
the current dangerous international climate.[3]
The chairmanship of the Arctic Council now goes to
Iceland for
the next two years. Iceland last hosted the Arctic Council from
2002 to 2004.
"Active dialogue based on scientific research and
dynamic
collaboration between our countries and organizations is the best
way forward for the Arctic Council," said Iceland's Minister of
Foreign Affairs Guðlaugur Þór
Þórðarson before receiving the
chairmanship gavel from Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs
Timo Soini.
Notes
1. The Arctic Council
was established in 1996 to promote cooperation between the Arctic
countries, particularly in the environment protection area.
Member states include Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway,
Russia, Sweden and the United States.
2. For the complete text of the
statement made by Arctic Council Chair, Finnish Foreign Minister
Timo Soini, click
here.
3. See also these articles:
"Collusion
and
Contention
Over
the
Arctic:
Trudeau
Government
Moves
to
Militarize
the
Arctic,"
Peter
Ewart,
TML Weekly,
April 6, 2019
"Northwest
Passage
Dispute,"
TML Weekly, April
6, 2019
"The
Inuit and the Struggle for an Arctic Zone of
Peace," TML Weekly, April 6, 2019
"The
Arctic -- An Overview," TML Weekly, April
6, 2019
"Arctic
Council and the Military Issue," TML Weekly,
April
6, 2019
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 17 - May 11, 2019
Article Link:
All Out to Humanize the Natural and
Social
Environment and : U.S. Must Be Held to Account for Its Disruption of Arctic Council Meeting - Peter Ewart
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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