He was joined by Swedish diplomat PontusMelander, Russian economist Alexander Pilyasov and Lieutenant Governor of Alaska Mead Treadwell in the final event of a two−daydialogue between government, business and media leaders from the eight Arctic Council countries.
The conference was held by the Edward R. Murrow Center of Public Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and was co−sponsored by the Institute of the North, the Rasmuson Foundation, the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy at the Fletcher School and the government of Norway.
Director of the Murrow Center Crocker Snow introduced the panel as the "culmination of this conference on political, economic, and environmental implications of the warming arctic." Citing that 30 percent of untapped resources are in the Arctic, he explained that as the planet warms, "resources are becoming more accessible, and there could be competition for those resources."
GrÃmsson chronicled the development of a new approach toward diplomatic relations between the eight countries that have land north of the Arctic Circle. He contrasted the current cooperative state of affairs with conditions during the Cold War only twenty years ago.
"[Twenty years ago], destructive power was beyond imagination," he said. "The Arctic had become one of the most, if not the most, militarized areas in the world. My country was the military center of the Cold War."
"[Today, the area] has become one of the most cooperative models that we can find anywhere in the world and where the former superpowers that drove the Cold War have become the friendly pillars of this cooperation," he added. "[It's] a remarkable demonstration that in a relatively short time you can transform the worst of enemies into the best of partners."
GrÃmsson described the current geologic state of the region and the economic and resource production implications that matter on a global scale. Diplomatic cooperation on how to use resources in the Arctic has emerged along with the possibility of the development of new sea routes, which could transform trade, he said.
He discussed the Arctic's role in measuring climate change as essentially acting as the planet's barometer. The region has importantly become "a new intellectual frontier of research, of science and of scholarly cooperation," he said.
In response to these changes, what GrÃmsson called new forms of diplomatic cooperation have emerged to oversee the changing region. Federal structures have been bypassed in the interest of bringing regional, provincial and state governments into direct cooperation with each other.
"The Arctic has turned into a fascinating laboratory of new politics, of new methods of dealing with conflict and tasks," GrÃmsson said.
He mentioned that his government is now able to interact directly with the government of Alaska, the only U.S. state with land in the Arctic region, to decide regional policy rather than adhering to a strictly federal government−based system, which would have necessitated diplomatic contact through Washington, D.C. Similarly, regions of Russia have greater autonomy from Moscow in their actions within the new Arctic Circle diplomatic system.
"It is a completely new type of diplomatic political encounter," he said.
Additionally, indigenous peoples, non−governmental organizations and citizen organizations have been invited to have a formal role in the decision−making process.
"This political innovation has created a system where the ground rules are that anybody can in fact work with anybody else," GrÃmsson said. "I can work with anybody within the Arctic territory, which I cannot do anywhere else."
"This new system will be the framework for a decision−making process which will have to answer and be tested on some of the most crucial issues of our time," he added.
GrÃmsson explored the elements in this new diplomatic model that he holds responsible for its success. It is non−bureaucratic, and chairmanship of the organization rotates between its eight members, each in the position for two years. Sweden holds the chair until 2013.
Also important is the democratic, all−inclusive nature of the model and the resulting creation of new diplomatic norms in which all parties are free to interact with any party within the system. This has created what GrÃmsson called a "completely new terminology of diplomatic exchanges."
The model's emphasis on science−based policies and economic policies based on scientific research was echoed in the region by strong government support for science research at universities.
"[This is] a formalized way to bring science into the policymaking process," GrÃmsson said.
The model's success necessitates an acceptance of equal status by all partners, or a system in which the United States and Russia agreed to sit down with Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Canada on the basis of equality, he said, "leaving outside the room their superpower status."
Most important is recognition by all partners that the tasks at hand are future−oriented, according to GrÃmsson.
"Very few international organizations have been as future−oriented," he said.
GrÃmsson expressed his hope that this model will serve as a guide for diplomatic relations in other parts of the world. He emphasized empowerment of indigenous people in the diplomatic decision−making process and cited this type of interaction as key in bringing China and India together to confront climate issues.
"[It should be used] as an inspiration for people in other parts of the world who are dealing with similar conflicts," he said.
Following GrÃmsson's speech, the three other panelists gave brief responses.
Melander said he is skeptical of an Arctic Circle governance model that lacks bureaucracy.
"I'm in favor of a permanent secretariat," he said. "I think it will contribute to the efficiency of the council."
He also explained Sweden's differing position on the council as a country that, despite containing land in the Arctic Circle, does not stand to benefit significantly from it.
"We are not one of the nations that has claims on the resources, which puts us in a very different situation," he said.
Recently, other countries without land in the Arctic Circle, including China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and a European Union commission representing all 27 member states have requested to be "observers" on the council.
"[This] will create a new challenge in how we will be able to preserve the uniqueness of the working group while not being an exclusive club trying to solve everything for ourselves while we are actually dealing with global problems," Melander said.
Pilyasov expressed uncertainty about the Arctic Circle model's ability to govern effectively in the long term.
"The contemporary world needs structuralization," he said. "We remind our partners in the South and countries in Central and Western Europe of this mission of the Arctic Circle to promote new structuralization of the global economy."
He then discussed the geographically isolated location of Arctic countries as essential to developing a new diplomatic model.
"We can experiment with new institutions in isolation without any disturbances from the rest of the world," he said. "We can use these new institutions for humanity."
"[This is the] comparative advantage of the North," he added.
Pilyasov believes that a factor largely responsible for the new model's success is the high quality of leadership in many Arctic countries.
"What about responsible leadership? [There are] a lot of very bright leaders in the Arctic countries, maybe more than in the rest of the world," he said.
Treadwell said that while he "wholeheartedly" agrees with this model, its academic critics maintain that it is toothless. He countered those critics with an explanation of the model's success.
"This breaking of diplomatic protocol, this multilayered networking process has led to tremendous opportunities to make things happen," he said.
He added: "We've made specific agreements, and we have several others that we need to be making that this group will beget."
Already in existence is a key search−and− rescue agreement. Treadwell listed law of the sea, land collection regulations and sustainable agriculture treaties as future issues that the council has to address.
He then emphasized the importance of maintaining a close relationship between scientific research and the creation of policy.
"There is a very strong connection between science and diplomacy," he said. "We are making very important things happen."
GrÃmsson addressed each panelist in turn. Before a question−and−answer session with the audience, he concluded his responses with an assessment of the main critique of the model, which is that it lacks force.
"Maybe it's high time that we create international cooperation with handshakes rather than teeth," he said. "It's the primitive beast that uses the teeth to demonstrate victory. We don't need that in the Arctic."
