As shipping activity in the Arctic has grown, PAME has seen a corresponding increase in its shipping-related projects. To better address the demands of these projects, PAME member governments realized that they needed to more effectively leverage the expertise, experience, and resources of Arctic Council Observers.To do so, PAME's Shipping Expert Group launched a project in 2017 to develop a framework for more systematically engaging Observers in its shipping-related work within the parameters of the Arctic Council Rules of Procedures and supplementary guidance regarding Observers.
Since its initial approval as a project in PAME's 2017-2019 Work Plan, the co-leads (USA, Poland, South, Korea, Italy, and Northern Forum) have inventoried the ways in which Observers have contributed to PAME's shipping work, conducted a survey to identify challenges and impediments, and most recently held a workshop attended by more than 30 people at which a brainstorming exercise sought to flag options and opportunities for overcoming those challenges and impediments in a regularized, transparent, and comprehensive manner.
Participant in the workshop, pictured above, came from 10 of the 13 Arctic Council observer countries; India, Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, France, Switzwerland, the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and Singapore.
The target outcome of the project is a written framework can that serve as a roadmap for systematic engagement with and by Observers in PAME's shipping work.
Observer Workshop agenda.