Recommendations on funding in ministerial declarations in 1998–2013

71 Document 3:3 2014–2015 Report the report is the result of a collaboration between AMAP and CAFF in the Arctic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee. The ACIA report shows that climate change is occurring faster than expected, and that it is happening much faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on the planet. 136 The pervasive climatic change in the Arctic documented by ACIA also had signii- cance for the work on the reports of the other working groups cf. SAO reports and reports from working groups. It concerns in this context climate change impacts on e.g. biodiversity, commercial activities and indigenous communities and lifestyles cf. also the chapters that follow. In the years that followed, the Arctic Council initiated work on the signiicance of the short-lived climate forcers. These forcers account for around 45 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in emissions will, because of the short life- time these forcers have in the atmosphere, have an immediate efect in the Arctic. 137 A direct descendant of the ACIA work was a new, larger climate report following a Norwegian initiative, SWIPA 138 , where a inal report was presented in 2011. Both the Ministry of Foreign Afairs and the Ministry of the Environment noted that AMAP is key to the Arctic Council’s work. The Ministry also noted that AMAP has brought forth many important results through its many projects and related reports and is a major player in monitoring environmental and climatic conditions in the Arctic. 139 The Ministry of the Environment cited the Arctic Council’s work on climate through ACIA and SWIPA as crucial to eforts to generate knowledge about the environmental situation in the Arctic. 140 ACIA is considered one of the most important technical products in the Arctic Council as a whole. 141

5.1.4 The Arctic Council’s recommendations on climate measures

Based on the work of the working groups – reports, indings and recommendations – the ministers have for many years pointed out the importance of nations working on climate change in several areas. The Arctic Council’s recommendations on climate measures are summarised in Table 1. Table 1 The Arctic Council’s recommendations and advice on climate work Mention in the ministerial declarations is indicated by + Ministerial declaration Reduce green- house gases Adapt society to climate change Support UN climate work Reduce short-lived climate forcers 1998, Iqaluit 2000, Barrow 2002, Inari + + 2004, Reykjavik + + + 2006, Salekhard + + + + 2009, Tromsø + + + + 2011, Nuuk + + + + 2013, Kiruna + + + + Source: Arctic Council Ministerial Meetings in 1998–2013 136 Interview with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 January 2012. 137 Norwegian Institute for Air Research. Short-lived climate forcers. www.nilu.no [retrieval date 12 September 2013]. 138 AMAP 2012 Arctic Climate Issues 2011: Changes in Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost. SWIPA 2011 Overview Report. 139 Interview with the Ministry of the Environment and press release from the Ministry dated 24 May 2012. 140 Interview with the Ministry of the Environment on 7 May 2012. 141 Paula Kankaanpää and Oran R. Young 2012 The effectiveness of the Arctic Council. Arctic Centre University of Lapland, Finland.