Local Voices Inform a Changing Arctic

As sea ice melts in the Arctic Ocean, new waters open up to navigation by larger  and larger ships. These changes directly impact Arctic Indigenous peoples, but to date they have had no voice in the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which sets the laws and regulations that govern international shipping. Our three-year, $250,000 grant supports the Inuit Circumpolar Council – Canada (ICC-Canada) as they seek to formally obtain consultative status at the IMO for Arctic Indigenous peoples. They plan to use this status to shape IMO policies to mitigate disruption and pollution caused by shipping in the Arctic. As part of this work, they will also develop resources to keep communities informed on shipping issues that directly affect Arctic peoples’ food sovereignty and livelihoods.