Indigenous Peoples in International Environmental Cooperation: Arctic Management of Hazardous Substances

Abstract

This article reviews the international legal framework on hazardous substances, with an emphasis on the Arctic and the roles of indigenous peoples. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals pose significant risks to Arctic indigenous populations, mainly through the consumption of traditional foods. Treaties of particular relevance include the Protocols on Heavy Metals and POPs to the Convention on Long‐Range Transboundary Air Pollution (1998) and the Stockholm Convention on POPs (2001). Arctic indigenous groups have exerted considerable influence on hazardous substance management through lobbying of national governments, participation in domestic and international scientific assessments, and direct advocacy in regional and global political fora. Their engagement on environmental issues has also helped to shape circumpolar consciousness and political activism among different indigenous groups. At the same time, there remain important limitations on the independent authority and ability to act of indigenous groups. Challenges for Arctic indigenous groups and States include continuing collaborative abatement work targeting many POPs and heavy metals, as well as addressing linkages between hazardous substances and climate change, which is another issue of great Arctic concern.

A State‐of‐the‐Art Review of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Pollution

“…Representatives for IPs are increasingly participating in international policy development to reduce pollution burdens (Godduhn and Duffy 2003; Selin and Selin 2008). The Arctic Council has played a particularly crucial role in amplifying indigenous concerns to international levels (Koivurova and Heinämäki 2006; AMAP 2015).…”

“…The Arctic Council has played a particularly crucial role in amplifying indigenous concerns to international levels (Koivurova and Heinämäki 2006; AMAP 2015). For example, the Northern Aboriginal Peoples' Coordinating Committee on POPs helped support the Inuit Circumpolar Council's participation in negotiating the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Protocols on POPs and Heavy Metals (Selin and Selin 2008). The concerns of the Arctic IPs are also reflected in the Stockholm Convention, where they have been strong advocates for expanding beyond the initial 12 banned persistent chemicals, and including precautionary language (Downie and Fenge 2003; Godduhn and Duffy 2003).…”

Leadership in Global Institution Building

“…In contrast, the United States and Australia, for example, have participated in most of the same meetings, but have commonly been less willing to lead. As such, Canada and the EU have frequently promoted new policies in a political vacuum left by the relative inaction of other major countries (Downie 2003;Selin 2003;Selin and Selin 2008).…”

Paying for POPs: Negotiating the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Developing Countries

“…The POPs issue was framed early as an Arctic concern, and in 1991 Arctic countries established the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) to "monitor the levels of pollutants and to assess their effects in the Arctic environment" (Reiersen et al 2003;Selin & Selin 2008). The AMAP later became a program group of the Arctic Council and its AMAP Working Group includes representatives from several arctic indigenous groups including the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC), the Saami Council, the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON), and the Aleut International Association (AIA) (AMAP, no date).…”

“…As such, the more extensive negotiations on such an approach occurred in the CLRTAP context (these are described in greater detail in Selin 2010 andin Selin 2006).…”