Iceland-based NGO Arctic Circle moots Himalayan Council; India unhappy
A non-profit organisation promoting international dialogue about the North Pole has mooted a similar initiative for the Himalayan region, but India is not too happy with the suggestion.
The non-profit organisation, called Arctic Circle, is based out of Reykjavik in Iceland. The Arctic Circle Assembly was held in Reykjavik earlier this month, and it featured a separate session on the Third Pole Process. The Hindukush-Himalayan region, the largest accumulation of ice after the North and the South Poles, is regarded as the Third Pole.
In that session, the organisation mooted the idea of starting a Himalayan Council with representation from Hindukush-Himalayan nations to discuss issues related to climate change and its impact on the region. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reportedly leading efforts in this direction.
However, Indian diplomats present at the meeting voiced strong reservations about the Third Pole Process, a senior government official told PTI. They reportedly insisted that any initiative for the Hindukush-Himalayan region should be led by the nations concerned and not the Arctic Circle.
Need for a dialogue
The Third Pole region comprises countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal, and Bhutan, among others. Consequences of climate change are likely to impact the lives of more than two billion people living in the region.
The Arctic Circle, along with the UAE, plans to introduce the Arctic model of collaboration to this region. “It will be designed to become an instrumental contribution to the preparations for COP28 in the UAE towards the end of 2023,” a statement issued by the Arctic Circle and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said.
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It added that the Third Pole Process will engage scientists, experts, policymakers, and members of political establishments in a sustained dialogue.
“Parties involved in Arctic collaboration through the years will share their experience via articles and interviews. Experts and policymakers in the Third Pole region and from the Arctic will contribute to the dialogue by sharing current information from the respective regions,” the statement said.
To avoid a bleak future
UAE Minister for Climate Change and Environment Mariam Almheiri said that country was committed to supporting global efforts to protect the natural world. If left unchecked, glacier melting will trigger bigger biodiversity loss, impede economic growth, and lead to more acute food and water shortages, the statement quoted her as saying.
“To avoid this bleak future, we are joining forces with Arctic Circle to roll out the Third Pole Process that will go a long way in forging meaningful partnerships and sharing experience to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the Third Pole region,” Almheiri said.
Watch: Climate change to blame for extreme heat and flooding in 2022: Study
Founded in 2013 by Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the then President of Iceland, the Arctic Circle has emerged as the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. Before that, the Arctic Council was established in 1996, when the adverse effects of climate change made the countries along the Arctic Ocean realize the need for active cooperation.
The Arctic Circle is an inter-governmental forum representing Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and the US. Non-Arctic nations, such as France, China, India, and Germany, are among the observers at the Council.
(With agency inputs)
