WHAT DOES THE NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY MEAN FOR THE ARCTIC REGION?

Source:  National Ocean Council Blog and Alaska Center for Climate Assessment & Policy

On April 19, 2011, the National Ocean Council hosted a webinar on the National Ocean Policy and what it means for the Arctic region. Almost 300 listeners joined the discussion on the Obama Administration’s work underway to implement the National Ocean Policy, including initial thoughts of the interagency team that is now preparing a strategic action plan (SAP) to address changing conditions in the Arctic.

The Arctic was specifically called out as a priority area for implementation of the policy because of the rapid changes that are occurring and the importance of the ocean environment to the local residents.  Access to the Arctic is increasing due to a reduction in sea ice and technological advances, while the demand for resources and the impacts of tourism are increasing.

View the webinar video (46 MB MP4)

Listen to the webinar podcast

view the Presentation: “Developing a national ocean policy”