The Arctic Council after Kiruna

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Authors: Steinberg, Philip E., Dodds, Klaus
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2013
• Subjects: Arctic Council; Kiruna; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247413000557; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247413000557

ABSTRACT This note considers the latest iterations to the Arctic Council following the May 2013 ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden. While new state observers including China and Japan were admitted, the European Union's application was deferred and the entire list of non-governmental and intergovernmental organisation applicants was rejected without consideration. Although time-based pressures may have been a factor, the failure to consider the non-state entities’ applications has the effect of reinforcing the impression that the Arctic Council is and will remain a state-centric body.