The Arctic Council in Transition

Abstract

Over the course of its twenty-year lifetime the Arctic Council (AC) has undergone a transition from a low-profile regional institution known to only but a few, to an acclaimed primary forum for circumpolar and global cooperation on issues pertaining to the Arctic. Established as a body void of most features of traditional international organization, the Council has managed to find for itself a niche among other international institutions and gradually enhanced both its structures and position, despite no change in its legal foundation and mandate. How did this process unfold? More importantly, from this contribution’s perspective, what was the role of the Arctic Council Chairmanship in this evolution? The chapter aims to address both of these questions.