Jul 28 2014
Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London has been appointed the specialist advisor to House of Lords Select Committee on the Arctic.
The committee is to consider 'recent and expected changes in the Arctic and their implications for the UK and its international relations'. Chaired by Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat), it will hear evidence between July 2014 and February 2015. A report is expected to be published in March 2015.
The specialist advisor's role is to assist the committee with its inquiry, including advising on the structure of the committee's enquiries, the witnesses to interview, the interpretation of oral and written evidence and to assist in the writing up of the Committee's report including its conclusions and recommendations.
As Professor Dodds noted, "The role of the specialist advisor is a wide-ranging one and gives an unique opportunity to assist and advise a distinguished committee on a topic of growing importance within UK policy making. In October 2013, the Coalition government released its Arctic Policy Framework and in 2012-13 the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee addressed the 'protecting of the Arctic'. The committee's report, which is expected in March next year, will contribute further to this policy debate. It will also attract national and international attention as the Arctic is increasingly a matter of global concern".
The UK describes itself as a 'near Arctic state' and has substantial scientific, environmental, business/commercial, defence/strategic and political interests in the Arctic region.
For further details on the work of the Arctic Committee - http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/arcticcom/ and you can follow the twitter feed of the Arctic Committee on @LordsArcticCom
Source: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/