OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2021-22
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 2
Offentligt

Final Report of the

Special Representative on Arctic Issues

Torill Eidsheim

2019-2021

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Foreword

The climate has always been changing, but what we need to ask ourselves is: has it

ever changed this fast before? The answer scientists are giving us is a clear NO!

With my appointment as Special Representative on Arctic Issues back in 2019, the

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly aimed at raising awareness on challenges facing the

Arctic, and there is no greater challenge than the effects of climate change. As the

world’s most severely affected region, it is essential that we all promote solidarity

with the Arctic and pursue joint action for a global problem that requires global

solutions.

We are slowly understanding that we should address climate change as a climate

crisis. In the meantime, Arctic communities are defining it as a climate disaster. It is

not just a natural phenomenon: it affects people directly.

Acknowledging that what we are experiencing in the Arctic and beyond is a result

of human activity is the only option that leaves us with the possibility to actually

do something about it. As parliamentarians, not only do we have this power, but

we also carry a responsibility to make use of it.

My mandate as OSCE PA Special Representative on Arctic issues ended in July 2021,

as I now approach the end of my term in Parliament. In this report, you can find a

short overview of climate change in the Arctic and its relevance for the rest of the

world. You will also read about our activities and efforts, as well as some inputs,

suggestions and recommendations for future work.

Torill Eidsheim

OSCE PA Special Representative on Arctic Issues (2019-2021)

Member of the Norwegian Parliament

Cover Photo credit: Karl Petersen/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Table of Contents

Overview on Climate Change in the Arctic

Overview on the Relevace of the Arctic Climate for the rest of the Planet

Annotated Report of implemented Activities

Reccomendations to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and

Parliamentarians

Conclusions

Summary of key points

•

There is a need for increased awareness on the main characteristics of the Arctic region,

which is home for more than four million people and is undergoing severe environmental

changes, with clearly interlinked consequences and dangers for society.

The Arctic, which is warming almost three times faster than the global average, should serve

as an eye opener on the whole world’s climate. It is crucial to monitor developments in the

High North to understand and predict developments and dynamics at lower latitudes.

Climate change should be considered and addressed as a climate crisis, directly affecting

and posing considerable threats to human security alongside the natural environment. The

economic and environmental dimension of the OSCE and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

should continue to enhance their efforts in addressing it.

The Arctic is and must remain an area of peace and security, especially against the backdrop

of new challenges. Natural, economic and geostrategic dynamics always carry along the risk

of political tensions. Good co-operation in the Arctic Council must be supported and pre-

served.

Parliamentarians should make better use of their key assets, notably legislative, oversight

and public awareness capacities, to support and provide long-term strategic political leader-

ship to efforts aimed at building resilient, sustainable and climate-friendly societies.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Overview on Climate Change in the Arctic

We are heading towards a new and largely unknown

Arctic that will have large ramifications for natural and

political systems.

Prof. T. Furevik, during OSCE PA Parliamentary Dialogue on the Arctic

For the past 50 years, the Arctic has been warm-

ing at a rate nearly three times the global av-

erage. This has dramatic effects on the natural

environment, on biodiversity, on infrastructures,

and on society as a whole, including the subsist-

ence-based livelihoods of many Arctic commu-

nities. In fact, the region – often mistaken for a

mass of ice - is home to over four million people,

who are experiencing climate change effects dis-

proportionately to the rest of the world and are

living through a real climate emergency.

Global warming is undeniably transforming the

region, and this is compounded by the challeng-

es of unsustainable development and pollution.

Even a simple overview of effects manages to

underscore the gravity of what is happening:

Reindeer-herders have noticed that more and

more trees are rapidly growing in their pastures:

a changing Arctic flora necessarily leads to chal-

lenges for the fauna and, in turn, to new agricul-

tural, hunting and herding patterns, overturning

the Arctic ecosystem and established livelihood

traditions, and posing considerable risks to the

subsistence of many indigenous communities.

The thawing permafrost is increasingly disrupt-

ing and destroying critical infrastructure such as

roads, buildings and pipelines. Moreover, bigger

waves and increased rain and snow precipita-

tions are leading to stronger coastal erosion and

more avalanches and flooding, posing further

dangers to human settlements. This has forced

human migrations in recent years. For instance,

parts of Longyearbyen in Svalbard and whole

other villages have been resettled inland in Alas-

ka.

The polar ice cap and Arctic sea ice are rapidly

shrinking. Since 1980, it is estimated that the sea

ice has been diminishing by around 230 billion

tons a year. Some of the last multiyear ice north

of Greenland is also breaking up, and the ice

sheet lost a record 532 million tons only in 2019.

The most recent report

by the Intergovernmen-

tal Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented in

August 2021 concluded that: “In 2011–2020, an-

nual average Arctic sea ice area reached its low-

est level since at least 1850“, and that “Late sum-

mer Arctic sea ice area was smaller than at any

time in at least the past 1000 years.” The report

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Photo credit: Harald Finkler

further notes that: “Global mean sea level has

risen faster since 1900 than over any preceding

century in at least the last 3000 years”. A warmer

ocean and the melting of glaciers are among the

main contributors to global sea level rise.

Moreover, the rapid melting of ice also weakens

the ice surface reflectivity – this is the so-called

albedo effect-, absorbing more heat and expo-

nentially amplifying the warming.

Short-lived climate pollutants, such as sot, are

influencing the melting of ice when it darkens its

white surface. There are a number of new initia-

tives, i.a. in the Arctic Council, to reduce the emis-

sions of black carbon in the Arctic region, which

will have an immediate effect on the melting of

the ice. Moreover, as the permafrost melts, frozen

animals and plants will decay, releasing methane

and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

A warmer, open and more acid Arctic Ocean has

severe consequences also on fishing and the

economy. The migration patterns of fish stocks

are rapidly changing, leading to consistent

threats to Arctic economy which is heavily de-

pendent on fisheries. Moreover, the melting ice is

opening up new shipping routes. While this can

be positive for economic growth, an increased

maritime activity requires increased rescue ca-

pacity and stronger preparedness and response.

New business opportunities can pose a threat to

Arctic indigenous communities and lead to more

competition for the use of land for instance con-

nected to mining operations and infrastructure

development.

Global warming is also leading to increased ex-

treme weather events, including wildfires and se-

vere storms and flooding. In the Arctic, scientists

predict even more severe weather conditions: in

over forty years the region experienced extreme-

ly cold winter despite amplified warming.

Satellite technologies are of particular impor-

tance for the Arctic region, which is characterized

by limited infrastructure and large distances.

They play a crucial role in monitoring climate

change dynamics impacting the Arctic such as

the loss of sea ice and thawing permafrost. It is

key to enhance co-operation on sustainable use

and governance of resources, and further devel-

op the role and capacities of space programmes.

I take the opportunity to draw attention on the

latest report on Arctic Climate Change, published

by the Arctic Council at the 2021 Arctic ministeri-

al meeting. Click here.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Overview on the Relevance of the Arctic

Climate for the rest of the Planet

The climate crisis did not disappear with the arrival of

COVID-19 and it remains humanity’s greatest long-term

threat to the survival of our planet. Addressing it now is

not a choice, it’s a reality we face.

Mr. D. Violetti, UNFCCC, during OSCE PA Parliamentary Dialogue on the Arctic

A barometer for the global warming

The Arctic has an important role in regulating

temperatures all over the planet. Climate change

effects are not an exclusive feature of the region,

but simply happen more intensely and more

quickly there, due to the so-called Polar or Arctic

amplification. The changes in the Arctic should

serve as an eye opener of what the whole planet

is facing: a climate crisis with profound impacts

on the environment, on the life of citizens and

on society as a whole.

Certain effects of the climate crisis in the Arctic

have a direct physical impact on lower latitudes.

The melting Arctic ice causes changes in weath-

er patterns globally. Scientists are also finding

evidence on the linkages between the melting

ice, mutating ocean flows and extreme weath-

er events. The melting of land ice also causes

a general rise of the sea level that threatens to

submerge low-laying islands and entire nations

(1cm rise of sea level can result in 1 million peo-

ple to be displaced). The above-mentioned IPCC

report further notes that “global mean sea level

has risen faster since 1900 than over any preced-

ing century in at least the last 3000 years”.

Arctic sea routes

As noted, the retreat of Arctic sea ice is also

opening up the Northern shipping route (the

Central Arctic Ocean, North West Passage and

North East Passage). Most of the increase in

shipping traffic so far is internal traffic between

destinations along the Russian coastline, but

there is also a growing traffic to ports in Europe

and Asia. Using the North East Passage will cut

the sailing time by approximately 40 per cent

between Asian ports and ports in Northwest

Europe, compared to going through the Suez

Canal. This provides huge opportunities for new

and expanded economic activities, but also

increases trade competition and geostrategic

tensions. It is not by chance that – for instance

- China, a non-Arctic country, has put the Arctic

in the top priority areas for 2020-2030. Also the

increase in resources exploitation can potentially

lead to tensions.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Photo credit:

Arctic Council Secretariat / Linnea Nordström

Maintaining “the Arctic model” – co-oper-

ation, predictability, and low tension

While the above serves as an early warning, it

should be noted that the Arctic continues to be

characterised by co-operation, predictability and

low tensions, something that can be defined as

the Arctic model. Clear evidence of this was the

Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Reykjavik on

20 May 2021 which was a constructive meeting

preparing the ground for continued co-operation

in the Arctic Council under the Russian Chair-

manship. It is paramount to maintain the Arctic

as an area of peace and co-operation.

When the sea ice is retreating, the Law of the

Sea, most notably the United Nations Conven-

tion on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), becomes

more important as it regulates important rights

and obligations for the use of the Arctic Ocean.

In 2008, the five Arctic coastal states committed

themselves in the Ilulissat-declaration to follow

the law of the seas for an orderly settlement of

disputes and overlapping claims on the conti-

nental shelf.

Raise the ambition level at COP 26

The main driver of climate change is global

emissions of greenhouse gases – which is caused

by human activities. This is why an effective

implementation of the Paris COP 21 Agreement

is of major importance, and why the upcoming

COP 26 meeting in Glasgow in November 2021 is

crucial, for the Arctic and the whole world. More

countries, especially large economies, need to

raise their ambition level. Global warming is a

global problem, which needs global solutions.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Annotated Report of implemented Activities

(May 2019 - July 2021)

Based on the mandate received by OSCE PA

President George Tsereteli in the immediate

aftermath of the PA leadership’s study trip to the

Svalbard Islands organized by the Norwegian

Parliament (the Stortinget) in May 2019 to raise

political awareness on the effects of climate

change in the High North

, I decided to center

my activities as Special Representative on the

following:

•

Raising general awareness in the OSCE PA on

challenges affecting the Arctic - with a clear

priority on effects of the climate change crisis

on society.

Establishing contacts and partnerships with

relevant stakeholders (including OSCE ex-

ecutive structures and Arctic organizations),

informing of the increased attention of the

OSCE PA to Arctic Issues and climate change,

promoting the role parliamentarians and

international parliamentary fora such as the

OSCE PA can play on Arctic Issues and cli-

mate change.

•

Offering to Arctic organizations (with specific

expertise but limited reach out) the wider

reach out of the OSCE PA.

Use the topic of climate change - common

challenge as a confidence-building topic

within the Assembly.

Provide policy recommendations.

Media messaging aimed at raising aware-

ness.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

I implemented these points throughout the fol-

lowing activities:

Raising Awareness within the OSCE PA

•

Regular reports to the Bureau and to

the Standing Committee

(overall 9 reports)

I regularly reported to the OSCE PA leadership

about my activities, not only for a matter of

transparency but also to maintain the topic of

the Arctic and its challenges high on the As-

sembly’s agenda. I took these opportunities

to call for an increased focus of our organiza-

tion on climate change.

Regular public messages on the OSCE

PA media

I took the opportunity of international days,

such as the World Environment Day, or of

events concerning the Arctic environment,

such as record high temperatures or wildfires,

or publications of other organizations reports,

to deliver some media messages aimed at

raising awareness and calling for action.

Introductory Keynote speech to the 2nd

Committee Special debate on the Secu-

rity Implications of Climate Change and

the Role of parliamentarians,

Vienna, 20

February 2020

See the full intervention

here.

Organization and chairing of an OSCE

PA Parliamentary Web Dialogue: From

the Arctic to Global: the Political Role in

addressing Climate Change

, 16 Septem-

ber 2020

The organization of this event, which saw the

participation of more than 50 parliamentari-

ans and other dozens of external stakehold-

ers, was organized online to replace what

would have been an in-person side event to

the OSCE PA Annual Session in Vancouver,

cancelled due to the outbreak of the COV-

ID-19 pandemic. The web dialogue has been

one of the highlights of my mandate. The

overall recommendations are integrated in

this report. A summary of the webinar

was

circulated to all delegations.

•

Organization and chairing of a Meeting

with OSCE PA delegations from Arctic

countries

, 21 May 2021

The meeting aimed at hearing directly from

Arctic delegations what their main concerns

and policy priorities are concerning the Arctic

region and Arctic co-operation, including

within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. We

underscored together the need to keep it

high on our agenda.

Official contribution to the Report of

the OSCE PA 2nd Committee at the Re-

mote OSCE PA 2021 Session

(in absence

of possibilities to propose a stand-alone

resolution)

Throughout my whole mandate, I have coop-

erated and exchanged notes with the lead-

ership of the Assembly’s General Committee

on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and

Environment, which has also clearly prior-

itized the topic of environmental security in

its activities.

•

b) Participation and Contributions to

International Conferences and Events

•

2019 Arctic Circle Conference, Reykja-

vik,

12-15 October 2019

The Arctic Circle conference is the yearly

biggest gathering of governmental, non-gov-

ernmental and academia experts on the

Arctic, and I took part in this event with the

two-fold aim of receiving inputs for my work

and of establishing contacts with relevant

stakeholders.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

2019 Nordic Council

, Stockholm, 31 Octo-

ber 2019

Similarly, I attended the Nordic Council to

further establish contact, to promote the

increased importance of the Arctic region

within Nordic co-operation, to offer to Nordic

countries the wider OSCE PA platform and to

promote an increased role of parliamentar-

ians. I also engaged with relevant environ-

mental bodies and committees.

•

Council of Europe Parliamentary As-

sembly (PACE) Committee on External

Affairs on “Developments in the Arc-

tic and opportunities for international

co-operation”

, Rovaniemi, 16 December

2019

I delivered a keynote speech upon invitation

from the PACE President, focusing on the

reasons why our two partner organizations

should focus more directly on the Arctic,

highlighting the importance of building

synergies and making a better use of parlia-

mentary assets to address climate change in

the region.

Marshall Center Security Seminar on the

geostrategic importance of the Arctic

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 3 March 2020

I delivered a keynote speech and took part

in a high/level panel shifting the focus to

climate change as the main root cause of the

increased geostrategic importance of the

Arctic. I noted that the Arctic must remain an

area of co-operation and that jointly address-

ing climate threats is also the only viable

solution to defuse arising trade and military

tensions.

•

14th International Conference of parlia-

mentarians of the Arctic Region,

Oslo, 18

April 2021

Invited as an official Observer, I delivered

remarks to reiterate the readiness to bring

Arctic instances to the wider forum of the

OSCE, acknowledging that many of the Arctic

problems require global solutions. My role

was strongly appreciated as a link for Arc-

tic legislators to reach foreign partners and

should be further developed.

European Space Agency (ESA) Work-

shop on Climate Security,

Session on the

Arctic, June 2021

In my intervention, delivered on my behalf

by the Secretariat, we underscored the need

to promote a closer partnership between

science and politics, with parliamentarians

implementing a science-driven environmen-

tal policy.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

c) Meetings with External Stakeholders

•

OSCE Office

for Economic and Environ-

mental Activities

While the OSCE executive structures do not

have a specific focus on the Arctic region, we

emphasized the increased importance of the

climate-security link and agreed to regularly

exchange notes at Secretariat level and build

on each other’s activities.

Arctic Council Secretariat and Chair-

manship representatives

(in multiple

occasions)

The Arctic Council is a key interlocutor. I

first of all ensured to align my efforts to its

activities, in order to be able to promote

them, to raise awareness on them and not to

duplicate. The opportunity to have a direct

counterpart in a big organization as the OSCE

was appreciated, although it is important to

preserve the different mandates and areas of

engagement of the two organizations.

European Union Special Envoy for the

Arctic

The EU has been placing increasing impor-

tance to the Artic region over the last years,

especially on climate and trade related issues.

With its project management capacity as well

as its political power, the EU is a crucial stake-

holder.

•

Chairmanship of the Nordic Council

Parliamentary Committee for Nordic

Sustainable Development

PACE President

Chair of Arctic parliamentarians

OSCE High Commissioner on National

Minorities

One of the autonomous institutions of the

OSCE, unique among international organiza-

tions, works on protecting and promoting na-

tional minorities. With new challenges affect-

ing Arctic communities, we together decided

to place increased attention to their needs,

including in terms of political representation.

The pandemic blocked the organization of

possible joint initiatives, which could resume

soon.

Sami Council Representatives

As the organization bringing together the

Sami living in Norway, Sweden, Finland and

Russia, I consider it crucial to hear from them

directly what are the current challenges

and policy priority areas, offering the OSCE

platform to raise awareness on their needs. I

learned that their voice is “always listened to

but rarely heard”, and that they believe that

too often Arctic communities are sacrificed in

the name of economic pursuits. I sent a policy

note to the OSCE High Commissioner on Na-

tional Minorities on this issue.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Reccomendations to the OSCE Parliamentary

Assembly and Parliamentarians

The cancellation of the OSCE PA 2020 Annual Session and the restrictive procedural rules for the OSCE

PA 2021 Remote (Annual) Session due to the COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately prevented me from

presenting and sponsoring a resolution on the effects of climate change on the Arctic. In addition to

the below points which aim at offering some inputs and recommendations as a result of my two-year

work, I would also urge the Assembly to adopt a resolution on this topic at the next Annual Session, in

order to assign to it the right political weight - which only a voted document can carry. In such a way,

the Arctic and specifically the importance it has in global climate would become part of the official

OSCE PA acquis.

a) For the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

•

Maintain a focus on the Arctic, acknowledg-

ing that the severe effects of climate change

pose a direct threat to Arctic communities

and to the planet, with consequences on the

wider political, socio-economical, and geo-

strategic interests in the region.

Address unequivocally climate change as a

climate crisis.

Continue to raise awareness in the Assem-

bly on the specific challenges faced by the 4

million people living in the Arctic, including

Arctic indigenous communities.

Recognize the Arctic as the “world’s refrig-

erator” to raise awareness on the effects of

•

climate change at lower latitudes and on the

role that the Arctic environment plays in reg-

ulating the entire globe’s climate.

•

Engage more actively parliamentary dele-

gations from Arctic countries, as important

forces in promoting more effective climate

change policies and sustainable develop-

ment.

Serve as an OSCE-wide hub for best practices

and track climate-related legislation, poten-

tially working as a catalyzer of efforts, also

with the aim of raising awareness with those

countries which are failing to implement

environmental commitments or are not ac-

knowledging their importance.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

•

Promote the portfolio of the Artic and the

climate-security link as a confidence-building

topic within the Assembly and support the

primary role of the Arctic Council in manag-

ing Arctic co-operation.

Support the Arctic Council, the Conference

of parliamentarians of the Arctic Region and

other relevant stakeholders to continue to

identify areas of synergies and possible add-

ed values. In particular, engage actively with

the OSCE High Commissioner on National

Minorities on the specific challenges faced

by Arctic communities, including in terms of

political representation, impact of COVID-19,

and consider joint initiatives.

Acknowledging the urgency of the issue,

develop a stronger and more structured port-

folio on climate change within the Assembly,

•

within and/or in co-ordination with the Gen-

eral Committee on Science, Technology and

Environmental Affairs (2nd Committee), to

provide a contribution to global efforts based

on distinct parliamentary assets.

Liaise parliamentarians with prominent

youth/women activists/groups as well as

civil society for future informed policies and

ensure that all voices are heard.

Promote a science-based policymaking and

increased interchanges between legislators,

academia and scientists.

Consider the drafting and the voting of a sup-

plementary item (resolution) on the topic of

Arctic and climate change for the next OSCE

Parliamentary Annual Session.

•

b) For parliamentarians

•

Keep a close attention to developments in

the Arctic when addressing climate change

nationally. Making projections in the local

context, acknowledging the role that Arctic

climate plays in regulating the climate at low-

er latitudes and that natural development in

the Arctic should serve to help predict devel-

opments in the rest of the world and thereby

better inform climate policies.

Engage with parliamentarians from Arctic

countries to exchange views and best prac-

tices, and develop joint policy recommenda-

tions/actions, as no unilateral climate policy

can be effective.

Make the best use and coordinate key parlia-

mentary assets - notably legislative, oversight

and public awareness capacities – including

within international parliamentary fora, to

support and provide long-term strategic

political leadership to efforts aimed at build-

ing resilient, sustainable and climate-friendly

societies.

•

Prioritize climate and environmental policies

in the public agenda, including in parliamen-

tary and governmental work, demonstrating

strong political will and solidarity.

De-politicize the topic of climate change and

address it as a climate crisis.

Adapt national legislation in order to imple-

ment commitments included in the milestone

COP21 Paris Agreement and other relevant

international agreements, in particular those

concerning CO2 emission reduction, and to

be fully in line with the UN Sustainable Devel-

opment Goals.

•

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

•

Exercise effective oversight on governments’

participation in international climate nego-

tiations, including the upcoming COP26, on

the implementation of international commit-

ments and on the support to the UNFCCC and

UN ICCP.

Urgently mobilize adequate resources for the

transition to a carbon-free, sustainable soci-

ety, including with new or revised Nationally

Determined Contributions (NDCs).

•

Promote a science-based policy making,

mainstream climate-friendly policies in all

areas of national planning and adapt all legis-

lation to be in line with sustainable develop-

ment goals.

Consider joint responses to fight pandemics

such as COVID-19 and climate change togeth-

er, taking into account climate-related chal-

lenges in post-COVID19 recovery plans.

Develop adaptation plans with early-warning

systems, following the Arctic model.

Given that environmental factors in the Arctic

put pressure on livelihoods and increase

human security risks, engage in various

high-level discussion platforms with climate

change experts to inform the PA members

and the Special Representative about the

trends and possible solutions.

•

Secure research funding and cross-border

research co-operation and invest on climate

education.

Ensure inclusive public consultations on

climate-related issues, mainstreaming a

whole-of-society approach, including the

business community (public-private-partner-

ships), youth, women, elderly, people with

disabilities, national minorities, indigenous

people, and other marginalized groups, as

well as involve civil society organizations,

academia and scientists.

•

I would like to take the opportunity to link the

“Summary for Policy-Makers” of the latest report

of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change. Click here.

Photo credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Conclusions

Photo credit: Ekaterina

Anisimova / AFP

It emerges very clearly: what happens in the Arctic, doesn’t stay in the Arctic.

The United Nations Secretary General presented the last UN climate report in August 2021 declaring

‘Code Red’. How can we hear this without getting terrified? I briefly mentioned the consequences we

are experiencing: it’s all overwhelming and hard to fathom. Most likely, we are in serious trouble and

can no longer avoid a negative impact on our future. Mother Earth will live on, but if we do not heal the

wounds, it will be the ones living here - you and me and our children- who are threatened. We still have

a leeway, but we need hope, dedication and urgent action.

This report is not an expert–scientific report, nor it is in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s mandate

and resources to provide concrete responses to the fight against the climate crisis in the Arctic and

beyond. However, we do have the capacity to generate political thrust around this topic, push it on top

of our national and international policy-making agendas, listen to science, and support – urgently and

decisively - current frameworks for global climate negotiations.

The strongest fear is the fear of the unknown and as humans we are uniquely vulnerable to uncertain-

ty. We are now putting behind us almost two years marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been

hard on everyone - but also showed us the strengths of co-operation, sharing knowledge, experience

and assistance. Let us work in the same way on climate change. We need to move on the same side in

this existential battlefield and resist our real enemy - the sum of the negative climate changes - in the

Arctic and beyond.

With my report, I also wanted to highlight some of the peculiar challenges that Arctic communities are

living. As noted, the Arctic has a population of more than four million people – and it must not be con-

fused for a mass of ice somewhere up in the north, as too often happens. Full support should also be

given to the Arctic Council, a true model for international co-operation: the Arctic is a region of peace

and stability – and such it must remain.

In conclusion, I wish the very best to my successor, OSCE PA Special Representative Bryndis Haraldsdot-

tir, and hope that this report can be useful for her future work within the Assembly. It has been a true

honour and privilege to serve in this position.

Torill Eidsheim

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Endnotes

https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abi9167

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2019/in-visit-to-arctic-region-osce-pa-leadership-ex-

plores-local-and-global-impact-of-climate-change

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2020/parliamentary-input-greater-urgency-from-gov-

ernments-needed-to-address-climate-crisis-say-osce-parliamentarians-at-webinar

https://www.oscepa.org/en/documents/special-representatives/arctic-issues/4090-highlights-webinar-on-arctic-and-cli-

mate-change-16-september-2020/file

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2021/arctic-must-remain-an-area-of-co-operation-in-

cluding-in-addressing-climate-change-osce-parliamentarians-say-at-virtual-meeting

https://www.oscepa.org/en/documents/annual-sessions/2021-remote-session/reports-and-speeches-4/4216-re-

port-for-the-general-committee-on-economic-affairs-science-technology-and-environment/file

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2019/osce-pa-at-the-2019-nordic-council-in-stock-

holm-synergies-between-nordic-and-osce-agendas-in-focus

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2019/osce-pa-s-eidsheim-speaks-about-developments-

in-the-arctic-and-opportunities-for-co-operation-at-council-of-europe-meeting

https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-2020/special-representative-eidsheim-addresses-arc-

tic-challenges-and-climate-change-at-the-marshall-centre

DISCLAIMER: The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly makes no claims nor warranties of any kind,

expressed or implied, about the completeness and reliability of this report and the data con-

tained in it.

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

Photo taken during the visit of the OSCE PA delegation to Svalbard

OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 2: The final comprehensive Arctic report of the former Special Representative Ms. Torill Eidsheim

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