The chairmanship  of the Council rotates among the eight Arctic States. The Arctic Council Is a Voluntary Intergovernmental Forum for Arctic States, with the Involvement of Others, to Address Environmental and Economic Development Issues

The Council is a voluntary intergovernmental forum for the eight Arctic  States, with the involvement of indigenous organizations and other  stakeholders, to address environmental and economic development  issues through various projects and reports. According to federal  officials, when the Council was established in 1996, it had about 30  ongoing projects. Six Key Agencies Hold Leadership Roles in the Council, and Other Agencies Participate Through Working Groups and Task Forces

Six key agencies hold leadership roles as head of the U.S. delegations to  the Council’s working groups, and other agencies lead the U.S. efforts on  Council task forces (see fig. Agencies Collaborate on Arctic Council Work and Face Challenges by Not Having a Clear Direction or Specific Resources for the Work

Within the United States, federal agency officials who participate in the  Council collaborate primarily through the Arctic Policy Group, an informal  interagency group led by State but is not part of the Council itself. Specifically, some agency officials and these stakeholders said that  the six agencies have not developed a strategy that guides agency  collaboration for Council participation and aligns the agencies’ work. Agencies Have Acted on Some Arctic Council Voluntary Recommendations but State Does Not Track Actions and Faces Challenges Implementing Them

Federal agencies have taken various actions on some voluntary  recommendations that the United States and other Arctic States have  adopted through the Council, but State does not have a process to review  and track progress made on these actions and faces challenges  implementing them. Without such a process to review and track progress toward  implementing Council recommendations, State officials said that State  and other key agencies do not know the status of the recommendations  and could face challenges planning for and prioritizing actions to address  Arctic issues. Broad and Numerous Recommendations Create Implementation Challenges

Some federal officials and stakeholders directly involved in Council work  said that the United States—with State as the lead agency—and other  Arctic States at times face challenges implementing the broad  recommendations made in the declarations and the numerous  recommendations made in the working group and task force reports. However, challenges implementing the broad and  numerous recommendations remain and State officials said that a need  exists for the Council to more clearly specify actions with measurable  outcomes and prioritize the Council recommendations to better ensure  their implementation. With these  changes and an increase in global attention on the region, the Council’s  work will likely continue to expand. Without a joint strategy, key  collaborating agencies may continue to face challenges prioritizing the  work, delivering unified messages, and consistently participating in the  Council. Specifically, State officials said the Council does  not have guidelines for adopting clear and prioritized recommendations. As a result, State officials said that the Council has  produced valuable work, but the recommendations have not historically  produced actions leading to measurable results in addressing Arctic  issues. Recommendations for Executive Action

To help clarify the direction of future U.S. participation and position the  United States for a successful Arctic Council chairmanship, assess the  status of recommendations adopted through the Council, and strengthen  the Council’s ability to address Arctic issues within its purview, we  recommend that the Secretary of State take the following three actions:
As a part of its responsibilities in assuming the Council chair in 2015  and in collaboration with other relevant agencies, develop a joint  strategy for U.S. participation in the Council that outlines a clear  direction for the agencies and identifies resources needed to sustain  collaborative efforts and consistent participation in the Council. Work with other Arctic States to develop guidelines for producing clear  recommendations with measurable actions and prioritizing the  recommendations. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

We were asked to review matters related to U.S. participation in the Arctic  Council (Council). This report examines (1) how the Council is organized  and how it addresses environmental and economic development issues;  (2) how U.S. federal agencies with a key leadership role participate in the  Council and the associated challenges, if any; and (3) the actions the  Department of State (State) and other federal agencies have taken to  implement and manage voluntary recommendations the United States  has adopted through the Council and associated challenges, if any. Global Change Research Program,  the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the  Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the  Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Why GAO Did This Study

Recent changes in the Arctic from a warming climate, such as decreased sea ice coverage making marine areas more accessible, have increased global attention to the region's economic opportunities. In 1996, the eight Arctic States—Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States—formed the Arctic Council to promote cooperation on various Arctic issues with input from indigenous groups. U.S. Arctic policy highlights the importance of the Council to pursue U.S. Arctic interests.
GAO was asked to examine matters related to U.S. Council participation. This report examines (1) the Council's organization and how it addresses environmental and economic development issues; (2) how key U.S. agencies participate in the Council and any challenges; and (3) agencies' actions to implement and manage voluntary Council recommendations and any challenges. GAO analyzed key documents; interviewed federal and other Arctic stakeholders; attended a Council meeting; and visited four Alaskan Arctic communities selected for their sizes and needs.

What GAO Found

The Arctic Council (Council) is a voluntary intergovernmental forum for Arctic States, with involvement of indigenous organizations and other stakeholders, to address various environmental and economic issues through projects and reports targeting a variety of subjects. The eight Arctic States guide the work of the Council through consensus decisions and rotate the chairmanship of the Council every 2 years. The United States will assume the chairmanship in 2015. The participants meet in six working groups, four task forces, and various expert groups to produce such documents as scientific assessments and guidance. For example, the Council has produced assessments of Arctic climate change impacts and shipping. As Arctic issues have emerged, the Council has expanded and broadened its work to address them. For example, since the Council's was established in 1996, the number of ongoing projects has increased from about 30 to 80.
Six key federal agencies hold leadership roles in the Arctic Council and other agencies participate through the Council's working groups and task forces. The U.S. Department of State (State) leads this participation and collaborates with the five other key agencies that lead the delegations to Council working groups—the Environmental Protection Agency, National Nuclear Security Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Global Change Research Program—as well as other federal agencies with Arctic interests. In collaborating on Council work, the agencies face challenges by not having a clear direction or specific resources for their work. For example, key agency officials said that the agencies do not have a strategy that guides and aligns their Council work. Without a clear direction or specific resources for the collaborative effort, the agencies face challenges prioritizing the work, delivering unified messages to other Arctic States, and consistently participating in the Council. GAO previously reported that agencies can enhance and sustain collaborative efforts by engaging in various practices, such as establishing joint strategies and identifying necessary resources.
Federal agencies have acted on some voluntary recommendations that the United States and other Arctic States have adopted through the Council. However, State does not review or track progress made on these actions and faces challenges implementing the voluntary recommendations. Specifically, State informally discusses the recommendations with other agencies during monthly meetings but does not have a process to review and track progress the agencies have made toward implementing them. State officials said that the agency may need to more formally assess such progress because, without such a process, State does not know the status of recommendation implementation and faces challenges planning for and prioritizing future actions to address Arctic issues. In addition, the United States—with State as the lead agency—and other Arctic States face challenges implementing the Council's broad and numerous recommendations. To address these challenges, State officials said that the Council needs to more clearly specify and prioritize recommendations, but the Council does not have guidelines for doing so. Without such guidelines, officials said the recommendations have not historically produced actions with measurable outcomes.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that State work with relevant agencies to develop a strategy identifying direction for agency Council participation and resource needs; develop a process to review and track progress on recommendations; and work with other Arctic States to develop guidelines for clear and prioritized recommendations. State agreed with GAO's recommendations.