U.S. objections to climate change language throw wrench in Arctic diplomacy

Source: Axios

U.S. objections to climate change language throw wrench in Arctic diplomacy

The Arctic Council ministerial in Rovaniemi, Finland ended on Tuesday without a ministerial declaration, due to U.S. objections over referencing climate change and the Paris Climate Agreement. This was the first time since the council was created in 1996 that no declaration was reached.

Why it matters: Climate change is rapidly redefining the Arctic region, which is warming at more than twice the rate of the rest of the planet. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo focused his council statements at the edge of the Arctic Circle not on climate change, but security — which is not a typical concern for the consensus-based Arctic Council.

Details: The U.S. objected to any mention of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) 1.5⁰C global warming report in the council's closing declaration, as well as any references to the Paris Climate Agreement. President Trump has vowed to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

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The divide: Instead of the customary ministerial declaration, the council issued a one-page statement with little to no details or concrete statements. The Finnish chairman's accompanying 9-page statement describes the majority of Arctic countries' concern for climate change's impacts in the Arctic region.


Read more: https://www.axios.com/mike-pompeo-climate-change-arctic-council-declaration-82d393ed-6157-42b7-a0fb-8572e2fd5717.html