EU Parliament resolution calls for Arctic sanctuary around North Pole
12 March 2014 (Toronto) – The European Parliament today passed a resolution calling for a protected area around the North Pole which could ban oil companies and industrial fishing fleets from the region. The text echoes the demands of the international Save The Arctic campaign which has attracted the support of over five million people including Sir Paul McCartney and renowned US oceanographer Sylvia Earle.
The resolution represents a clear break from the current positions of Arctic Council members such as Norway, Denmark, Canada and Russia who have resisted calls for permanent protection of the Arctic region. In contrast, Finland, another Arctic state, recently adopted the sanctuary proposal as official policy.
“As the European Union sets an impressive precedent for Arctic protection, Canada continues to push forward its pro-business and pro-oil agenda as Chair of the Arctic Council. To successfully prevent devastating oil spills and the depletion of fish stocks that could destroy the livelihoods of millions, measures such as those proposed by the European Parliament need to be reflected in Canadian law as well as the laws of all Arctic states,” said Greenpeace Canada Arctic Campaigner Farrah Khan.
The European Parliament also stressed the need for a binding agreement on pollution prevention at the Arctic Council — an international forum criticised by environmentalists for its closeness to the oil industry. According to Greenpeace, previous voluntary agreements on oil spill readiness have lacked teeth.
“A sovereign North means lasting sustainable development, not a short sighted future dictated by the oil industry. Canada is now standing in the way of Arctic protection. It’s time it turns on its heel and walks in the same direction as the European Union,” concluded Khan.
The resolution is expected to push the Arctic more firmly onto the agenda of EU foreign ministers and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, who have so far been reluctant to speak out against the rapid industrialisation of the region by international oil companies including Shell, BP and Russia’s state owned energy giant Gazprom.
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For more information:
Diego Creimer, media relations, 514-999-6743
