Members of the Arctic Council — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2014

Consider the following countries:

Denmark
Japan
Russian Federation
United Kingdom
United States of America

Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council ‘?

1, 2 and 3
2, 3 and 4
1, 4 and 5
1, 3 and 5

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous Peoples, and other Arctic inhabitants. It addresses concerns related to the Arctic region, including sustainable development and environmental protection.
It was formally established in 1996 through the Ottawa Declaration. The establishment was preceded by the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (June 1991), a declaration on protecting the Arctic environment.
The eight Arctic States (whose territories fall in the Arctic region) are members of the Arctic Council.
These are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US.
All Arctic Council decisions:
- Require consensus of the eight Arctic States.
- Happens in consultation with the permanent participants.
India had been given observer status in 2013.

Map showing Arctic region with countries bordering Arctic Ocean, including United States (Alaska), Canada, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Colored areas highlight territorial boundaries, with Arctic Circle and North Pole marked, illustrating geographic scope and proximity of nations to Arctic Ocean.