Arctic cooperation

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum that promotes cooperation, coordination and dialogue between the Arctic states, Arctic indigenous peoples and other people living in the region. In this cooperation, a particular focus is on sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic region.

Norway holds the Chairship of the Arctic Council from 2023 to 2025. The Council's activities are about to be resumed, having been suspended since Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. 

The fields in which the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health works have mainly been included in the thematic areas of the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) and of the Arctic Human Health Expert Group (AHHEG) operating under it. The key thematic areas have included:

• gender equality
• health risks and the multidisciplinary Arctic One Health approach (according to which human, animal and environmental health are interrelated)
• mental health, and suicide prevention

The health impacts of black carbon and methane have also emerged as items on the Arctic agenda.

Indigenous peoples' organisations, which have Permanent Participant status in the Arctic Council, play a major role that is unique in international terms. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Finland promote the strong participation of indigenous peoples in the work of the Arctic Council.