The Arctic is a key region for global environmental changes and developments in security policy that also concern Germany. In the following, Dr Volker Rachold, head of the Arctic Office at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), explains why the federal government has updated its Arctic policy guidelines in view of the rapid climate warming and geopolitical changes like the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. On 18 October, these revised guidelines – which the Arctic Office contributed to – will be presented at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik.
How is the Arctic relevant for Germany and why is it so important for the federal government to develop guidelines for the region?
Changes in the Arctic have global consequences that can be felt directly in Germany. The rapid warming of the region is affecting our weather and contributing to sea-level rise. At the same time, the geoeconomic context is changing, as the loss of sea ice is making new shipping routes navigable and natural resources more accessible. However, the greatest change in the Arctic is the result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Accordingly, the new Arctic policy guidelines underscore the region’s greatly increased importance for security policy and that the impacts of the war are making concerted efforts to address the climate crisis more difficult. Against this backdrop, the Arctic policy guidelines published in 2019 were updated. Environmental protection, climate protection and sustainable development continue to be key topics, but security policy in particular has now also become a central aspect.
What are the central objectives?
The new guidelines define several overarching goals: they revolve around preserving stability and security in the Arctic and a greater security policy commitment on the part of Germany through NATO and the EU. Moreover, the guidelines stress defence of the international, law-based order and bolstering the region’s resilience.
Consistent climate and environmental protection in keeping with the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement is another major focus. In this regard, research takes on a central role. The federal government’s goal is to ensure that responsible research as the basis for political action is preserved and expanded.
Another main aspect of the guidelines is the sustainable development of the Arctic, bearing in mind the principles of prevention and “the polluter pays”. On the one hand, the goal is to prevent environmental damage from happening in the first place; on the other, those who are responsible for environmental damage are to be held accountable. In addition, the guidelines call for the consistent inclusion of indigenous peoples and respecting their rights to freedom, health and self-determination in their habitat.
What lessons learned in Arctic research are included in the guidelines?
Germany is an international actor in the Arctic chiefly because of its outstanding polar research. The guidelines underscore the role of excellent research as an essential pillar of German activities in the Arctic. Accordingly, the federal government advocates for free and responsible research as the basis of political decision-making. In this context, the Arctic Dialogue – which is organised by the Arctic Office twice a year and actively contributes to science-based Arctic policy – is especially important.
How will the new Arctic policy guidelines affect the AWI’s work in the years to come?
In the guidelines, the federal government makes it clear that collaborating with Russia is not currently possible. Rather, research collaborations with partners who share our country’s values are to be intensified, e.g. by geographically shifting research initiatives that were originally to be pursued in or with Russia
The guidelines also point out the need for scientific findings in connection with e.g. the declaration of Marine Protected Areas or assessing the environmental soundness of deep-sea mining. In this regard, the federal government is pursuing strict and legally binding regulations.
Moreover, especially the rights of indigenous peoples are to be included in research activities. The guidelines place particular value on participative approaches that integrate the knowledge of indigenous peoples from the outset.
And research at the AWI, too, is to be conducted responsibly and in compliance with the highest environmental standards, which the AWI already practises and will consistently uphold in the future.