PAME is the focal point of the Arctic Council’s activities related to the protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment and provides a unique forum for collaboration on a wide range of activities in this regard.
PAME carries out activities as set out in bi-annual work plans approved by the Arctic Council on the recommendation of the Senior Arctic Officials. These activities led by PAME include circumpolar and regional action programmes and guidelines complementing existing legal arrangements aimed at protection of the Arctic marine environment from both land and sea-based activities. PAME works in close collaboration with the other five Arctic Council Working Groups.
The PAME Working Group generally meets twice per year. Each meeting produces Records of Decisions (RoD's) which form the basis for the meeting reports The RoD's are decisions taken by PAME by consensus.
Participation between meetings varies, but each Arctic Council Member State nominates experts for the meetings, which are also open to the Permanent Participants, Observers in addition to experts invited by PAME.
Ministerial deliverables are documents which PAME produced for each Ministerial Meetings. The Arctic Council Ministers can either approved, welcome or note the deliverables.
Deliverables are generally the main documents associated with each PAME project.
The reports to the Senior Arctic Officials are generally short and concise overviews of the PAME working group proceeedings between SAO meetings. They give an update and overview on ongoing projects. SAO meetings are held regularly but progress reports are generally released once or twice per year.
The purpose of the PAME Work Plan is to provide a framework for PAME´s work related to the protection of the Arctic marine environment for every two year working period.
The PAME Work Plan includes information on all ongoing PAME projects and gives insight into activities ongoing at the given time.
PAME activities are guided by the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan and biennial Work Plans, which are developed by the PAME Working Group for approval by the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials.
The AMSP articulates how the Arctic Council can increase its understanding of the impacts of human activities, climate change and ocean acidification.
The AMSP recognizes the importance of acquiring a better understanding of Arctic change so that actions can be taken that allow Arctic inhabitants, including Arctic indigenous peoples to further adapt to the change.
The strategic actions identified in the AMSP will guide the work of the Arctic Council and its subsidiary bodies in the coming decade.
Different ways of knowing: Applying Indigenous Local and Scientific Knowledge to Arctic Conservation Planning
Indigenous hunter in Greenland.The objective of this project is to support respectful and effective partnerships to advance area-based management for conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment. The project will also seek to demonstrate how to connect locally-derived knowledge with sea- and ocean-scale scientific knowledge used in national and ocean scale systematic conservation planning and MPA network design.
The project is Arctic-wide, and will build on previous work by PAME on Indigenous engagement in MPA planning by developing tools and best practices for engaging with Indigenous communities.
It will:
Develop and expand on case studies of how Indigenous peoples and local communities are already addressing area-based management for conservation or monitoring programs to ensure healthy ecosystems; and,
Develop guidance and tools to consider different forms of knowledge derived at specific spatial scales (e.g., locally, regionally, ocean-scale) for comprehensive MPA network planning, design and implementation and begin to develop a community of practice among Arctic Indigenous communities to build capacity and share knowledge on area-based conservation planning and management, including through mentoring and opportunities for Indigenous youth and young professionals.
Project Leads: Canada, United States, AIA, ICC, Saami Council, WWF
Slide
Indigenous communities rely on marine resources for food security and cultural resilience and well-being
Indigenous communities rely on marine resources for food security and cultural resilience and well-being and hold extensive knowledge of the natural world that is valuable to, but underutilized in, informing management decisions in the context of a changing Arctic.
Considering different ways of knowing, including Indigenous and local knowledge and scientific information, in the design and planning of networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other area-based conservation measures supports more effective and equitable marine conservation and management.
However, meaningful participation of Indigenous and local communities in Arctic conservation planning has been limited by the lack of documented Indigenous and local knowledge; ability to engage with knowledge holders in culturally appropriate and meaningful ways; analysis and documentation of case studies; and best practices and relevant tools. Supporting participation in these ways makes important contributions to improving effectiveness and inclusiveness of Arctic marine resource management and conservation of marine life.
This project will add important content to the MPA-network Toolbox to recognize the importance of including Indigenous and local knowledge and scientific information in marine planning and management, acknowledging the differences, associated unique contributions, and potential synergy of these knowledge systems.
Please publish modules in offcanvas position.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.