With Arctic Centre as the lead partner, 19 Arctic research and outreach institutions from EU member states and EEA countries will carry out a one million euro project aimed at producing a strategic environmental impact assessment plan of the Arctic.
The project now initiated by the European Commission is a first step to strengthen communication within the EU and between the EU and the Arctic community following the rapid development of the Arctic region as a result of economic and climate changes.
“The key idea of the Preparatory Action project is to create an efficient application of science-based information and its fulfillment with views and perspectives of stakeholders both inside and outside of the Arctic”, says Director of the Arctic Centre, Professor Paula Kankaanpää.
It provides a platform to test the effectiveness, functionality and sustainability of the proposal by the consortium to establish an EU Arctic Information Centre. The proposed EU Arctic Information Centre would aim to facilitate information exchange between the EU institutions, Arctic stakeholders and the general public.
Jaime Reynolds who coordinates Arctic issues for the Directorate-General for the Environment within European Commission notes:
“The project does not constitute the launch of an EU Arctic Information Centre itself; however the EU Arctic Information Centre Feasibility Study and Impact Assessment processes included will be fundamental for considering decisions about the establishment of the Centre.”
