Mar 17 2009
Five countries meeting for the first time in 25 years to discuss polar bear conservation today retreated behind closed doors to discuss climate change and national measures being taken to combat it.
Climate change and the receding Arctic sea ice are regarded as the greatest threat to the Arctic emblem.
Unexpectedly excluded from the meeting were NGOs, an Arctic indigenous organization and other observers.
“We do not know what these countries have to say about protecting polar bears that cannot be shared with the world,” says Geoff York, polar bear coordinator for WWF.
The decision to exclude observers from the Meeting of the Parties on the Agreement on the Conservation on Polar Bears, was taken yesterday at another closed door meeting between heads of the national delegations. The countries involved in the meeting are Norway, Russia, Canada, the United States and Denmark (Greenland).
However, it seems not all countries were supportive of the exclusion of observers.
“The Norwegian Environment Minister made it clear today that the host Norwegian government wanted WWF and other interested parties to take part in this meeting,” said York. “WWF applauds the Norwegian Minister for calling on the meeting to deliver strong message on climate change to the UN climate conference in Copenhagen this December.
“It is unfortunate that some other countries are not so open and transparent.
“It may be that certain governments do not want to hear what we have to say about the necessity of tackling climate change as the core threat to polar bears, and their obligations under the polar bear agreement to take action to protect polar bear habitat.”
WWF, officially invited to the meeting, intends to “continue to monitor the meeting as much as we are able”, York said.
It also intends to present to delegates draft plans on managing polar bears and conservation financing if given the opportunity after the meeting closes.