Arctic Frontiers Conference – EU Arctic Footprint and Policy Assessment

Emily McGlynn, Transatlantic Fellow at Ecologic Institute, spoke to decision-makers, policy analysts, scientists and students at the Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway (28 January 2011) about the EU's impact on the Arctic environment. Arctic stakeholders were very interested to hear the results of the EU Arctic Footprint and Policy Assessment Project, as coordinated by Ecologic Institute.

The Arctic Frontiers Conference is an annual, week-long event which brings together policymakers, scientist and other stakeholders from around the world to discuss the most pressing and promising developments in the Arctic. This year it was held at the University of Tromsø, 23-28 January 2011.

On the final day of the conference, McGlynn spoke to a crowded room full of diverse stakeholders on the significant environmental impacts to which the EU contributes in the Arctic. She highlighted some of the policy recommendations which were developed out of both quantitative and qualitative analysis of EU impact and policy gaps. For example, the project team recommended an EU moratorium on commercial fishing in the Arctic. A strengthening of the Northern Dimension Policy was also recommended, in order to facilitate an EU-Russia relationship more conducive to Arctic environmental protection.

The EU Arctic Footprint final report comprehensively describes the EU’s environmental impacts in the Arctic in nine distinct issue areas (Biodiversity, Chemicals, Climate Change, Energy, Fisheries, Forestry, Tourism, Transport, and Arctic local and indigenous livelihoods) and provides policy recommendations for the European Commission on reducing the EU’s Arctic ‘footprint’.

McGlynn won an "Outstanding Oral Presentation" award from the Arctic Frontiers Young Scientist Forum for her presentation.

The presentation [pdf, 693 KB, English] is available for download.

The EU Arctic Footprint and Policy Assessment reports are available here