Ivar Kristiansen, member of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, spoke about political cooperation in the circumpolar North at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway. The policy-making conference was hosted by the University of Tromsø and addressed responsibilities for sustainable development in the Arctic (www.arctic-frontiers.com).

The Arendal Seminar on Multilateral Environmental Agreements and their relevance to the Arctic was held in Arendal, Norway on September 21st and 22nd 2006. The seminar was attended by 70 participants from international organizations, countries, indigenous peoples, convention secretariats and non-governmental organizations. The seminar was organised by the UNEP Key Polar Centre at UNEP/GRID-Arendal and the Standing Committee for Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (SCPAR) and co-sponsored by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Read more on the recommendations and results from the Arendal Seminar, see some of the stakeholder presentations and read the overview report summarising the status of MEAs in the Arctic.

Hill-Marta Solberg, Chair of the Standing Committee, made a speech on behalf of the Arctic Parliamentarians at the Arctic Council Ministerial in Salekhard, Russia on October 26, 2006

The Swedish Riksdag hosted the Seventh Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in Kiruna, Sweden, 2-4 August 2006. The Conference addressed the following major themes: - The International Polar Year 2007-2008 - Innovation in the Arctic Governance: The possibilities and limitations of a binding legal regime for the Arctic - The opening of the Arctic Sea Routes Participation in the Conference is by invitation only.

The Law of the Sea Convention and the Idea of a Binding Regime for the Arctic Marine Environment by Olav Schram Stokke.

Hill-Marta Solbert took over the position from previous chair Clifford Lincoln.

6th Arctic Parliamentary Conference in Nuuk, Greenland. September 3rd-6th, 2004. photo taken by Jens Duvander (jedu@nuuk.gl)