The Arctic Council

The Arctic Council was created in 1996 by the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden as an extension of AEPS to more broadly address environmental protection and sustainable development issues in the Arctic. In addition to the 8 member states, the Arctic Council is comprised of indigenous representatives with permanent status, and observers from other nations and organizations. The Arctic Council has 6 working groups: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP), Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR), Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG), Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), the Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP), and Scientific Research. Learn more about the Arctic Council at its website or at the U.S. State Department's website.

Sources: Arctic Council website, U.S. State Department website