Cooperation on Oil Spill Response in the Arctic

Background and possible future steps

Ole Kristian Bjerkemo, Norway

Background

• EPPR’s gap analysis 1997-2000• IMO/UNEP Forum on regional arrangements for co-

operation in combating marine pollution incidents 2002• OGA assessment 2008

– ”improve coordination of preparedness and response measures ….”

• AMSA report 2009– “That the Arctic states decide to continue to develop circumpolar

environmental pollution response capabilities that are critical to protecting the unique Arctic ecosystem”

– This can be accomplished, for example, through circumpolar cooperation and agreement(s), as well as regional bilateral capacity agreements.

Barrow Declaration 2000

• Note with appreciation the work done by the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) Working Group on finalizing its Analysis of Agreements and Arrangements, endorse EPPR s future activities as outlined in the SAO Report to Ministers, and

• further endorse the main conclusion of the Analysis of Agreements and Arrangements conducted by EPPR, that international conventions and instruments currently in force, adopted or still under preparation appear to cover the present needs for Arctic cooperation in the field of prevention of, preparedness for and response to environmental emergencies on land or sea;

Arctic Guide

• Network for information on Arctic accidents and for facilitating co-operation among the Arctic states in the areas of emergency prevention, preparedness and response.

• It is also stated that EPPR is not a response organization.

• It is underlined that the Arctic Guide does not have the same formal basis or structure as the operational manuals in existing multi- or bilateral agreements

IMO OPRC Convention

• Article 10 Promotion of bilateral and multilateral co-operation in preparedness and response.

• Article 12:Institutional arrangements- Information services- Education and training- Technical services- Technical assistance

Changes in the Arctic – what is the risk?

• Commercial sailing through Arctic waters

• Risk for incidents which may lead to large oil spills (ITOPF 2002 – low risk)

• Workshop New Hampshire, March 2008

Source: WWF – The Circle No.1 2009

Some mulitilateral agreements

• Bonn agreement – North Sea

• RAC/REMPEITC - Carribian

• Medierranean– Regional Centre REMPEC

• Helcom - Baltic

• Black Sea Convention – Black Sea

Some thoughts on future cooperation in the Arctic

• Use the instruments already established based on existing bilateral or multilateral agreement

• An international (multilateral) agreement on oil and HNS response in the Arctic

• A MoU on oil and HNS response in the Arctic• An oil and HNS spill contingency plan for the

Arctic describing how the countries could cooperate in case of large oil and/or HNS spill in the middle of the Arctic.