Signed by Representatives of the Arctic Council at the 10th Ministerial meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska on 11th May 2017.
The purpose of this Declaration is to reaffirm the commitment to maintain peace, stability, and constructive cooperation in the Arctic, Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the AC and its emergence as the preeminent intergovernmental forum for the Arctic Region, and affirming the commitment to further strengthen the Arctic Council and its activities, Reaffirming our commitment to the well-being of the inhabitants of the Arctic, to sustainable development and to the protection of the Arctic environment, Recognizing the rights of Arctic indigenous peoples and the unique role of the Permanent Participants within the AC, as well as the commitment to consult and cooperate in good faith with Arctic indigenous peoples and to support their meaningful engagement in the AC activities, Acknowledging the contributions of local authorities, and the interests of all Arctic residents and communities in the work of the AC, Further recognizing that activities taking place outside the Arctic region, including activities occurring in Arctic States are the main contributors to climate change effects and pollution in the Arctic, and underlining the need for action at all levels, Noting with concern that the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of the global average, resulting in widespread social, environmental, and economic impacts in the Arctic and worldwide, and the pressing and increasing need for mitigation and adaptation actions and to strengthen resilience, Noting the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on climate change and its implementation, and reiterating the need for global action to reduce both long-lived greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants, and Reaffirming the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the need for their realization by 2030.
