The Arctic Resilience Action Framework (araf): An Update to the sdwg

The Arctic Resilience Action Framework (ARAF): An Update to the SDWG

Progress and Near-Term Plans

September 2017

The following progress has been made, as it relates to the ARAF Implementation project:

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  Project co-leads have been identified, and they include Finland, Sweden, and the United States.
  
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  This summer, the project leads submitted a project template for the SDWG’s information and additional recommendations. The ARAF was adopted in the 2017 Ministerial Declaration, and the SAO Report to Ministers directed a two-year ARAF implementation process to take place within the SDWG.
  
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  The Arctic Council Secretariat (ACS) has identified a staff-person to support overall ARAF implementation activities and planning for the Arctic Resilience Forum (as was agreed to in the SAO Report to Ministers). The project leads are also working with the ACS to establish a project webpage.
  
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  Finland has begun planning for the Arctic Resilience Forum, which will take place in September 2018 in Rovaniemi. Finland (and co-leads) have developed a draft Arctic Resilience Forum agenda for the SDWG’s consideration. The two-day forum will provide an opportunity for a broad range of resilience experts and practitioners (international, national, and sub-national level) to share experiences. The forum will also include an opportunity for discussion among the six Working Groups and SAOs, given the cross-cutting nature of the resilience topic.
  

Near-Term Next Steps (September – February 2017):

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  The following individuals were involved in the drafting of the ARAF and are recommended to participate on the ARAF Implementation Team. More individuals are expected to be added to this list, in advance of the September SDWG meeting.
  

State/Permanent Participants:

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  Finland: Saara Lilja-Rothsten
  
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  Sweden: Marcus Carson, Jeanette Krantz, Johan Kuylenstierna
  
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  United States: Sarah Abdelrahim
  

Observers:

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  WWF: Martin Sommerkorn
  

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  Each State and Permanent Participant is invited to nominate individuals to participate on the ARAF Implementation Team. The Implementation Team will guide the overall direction of the ARAF and planning for the Arctic Resilience Forum. Should a State or Permanent Participant choose not to nominate an individual to serve on the Implementation Team, they will be requested to nominate a “liaison” to receive regular project updates and invitations to contribute resilience information to the project. The SDWG is reminded that each SAO, PP HoD, and Working Group Chair nominated a liaison to form an ARAF Review Committee back in 2016 (see ARAF Appendix D for a list of Review Committee members).
  
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  The SDWG is invited to provide guidance on the involvement of Observers and other interested experts. Observers and other experts provided important input to the drafting of the ARAF. Many of the Arctic Council Observers lead or support activities that contribute to Arctic resilience. The co-leads recommend that Observers be invited to participate as full members of the ARAF Implementation Team, should they have the interest and expertise to contribute.
  
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  All States, PPs, and Observers will be invited to submit “Implementing Actions”. As described in the project template, Implementing Actions are initiatives that correspond with the ARAF priorities, and should be drawn from existing plans and strategies. More details will be provided in a formal call to the Implementation Team members and “liaisons”, once they are identified.
  
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  The co-leads and Implementation Team will identify Working Group “Implementing Actions” from the 2017-2019 Working Group Work Plans. These implementing actions will then be confirmed with the Working Group Secretariats.
  
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  Based on the list of Implementing Actions, and drawing on existing work like the Arctic Resilience Report, the Implementation Team will identify good ‘resilience’ practices that should be shared more prominently, and potentially highlighted at the Arctic Resilience Forum.
  
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  The project co-leads invite feedback from the SDWG HoDs on the first draft of the Arctic Resilience Forum agenda. Over the coming months, the Implementation Team will continue to refine the agenda for the Forum.