 |
Affiliations |
The Northern Forum's mission, activities and projects benefit from the strengths gained through its cooperative affiliations with institutions located around the world.
The United Nations officially recognized the Forum as a Non-Governmental Organization in early 1994. This special status allows the Forum, and thus its members, to participate in certain functions of the United Nations.
Importantly, the Northern Forum maintains permanent Observer status within the Arctic Council, the world's highest level Arctic policy group. The Forum cooperates at a region-to-region level on a range of issues of interest to the members of the Council, and constantly seeks to bring local and regional initiatives and concerns to the Council's attention. Representatives of the Northern Forum attend all the Senior Arctic Officials and Ministerial meetings of the Arctic Council and provide recommendations and advice on regional issues to its members.
As regions emerge on the international scene, the Northern Forum has become a Member of the Steering Committee of the Network of regional governments for sustainable development (nrg4SD), and a founding member of the Forum of Global Associations of Regions (FOGAR). The Northern Forum is also closely affiliated to a number of Northern and Arctic organizations, as listed below.
| ORGANIZATION |
WEB SITE |
PROJECTS |
|
ARCTIC COUNCIL
|
| Northern Forum status: Observer |
| WORK GROUP (joint projects with the NF are highlighted) |
| AMAP |
www.amap.org |
Heavy metals, radioactive materials, PCB's, water and food contaminants;
Permanent toxics;
Climate impact |
| CAFF |
www.grida.no/caff |
Biodiversity Monitoring Network
lora and vegetation, seabirds, migratory birds;
Protected areas; Communications;
Sacred sites; |
| EPPR |
www.eppr.arctic-council.org |
Environmental risk analysis;
Oil spill response guide;
accident reporting systems;
Oil and gas offshore;
Management and prevention of high risks; Natural Disasters |
| PAME |
www.grida.no/pame |
Shipping activities;
Protection marine environment;
Ship-generated waste; |
| SDWG |
www.arctic-council.org |
Children and Youth;
Health;
Fisheries management;
Ecological and Cultural Tourism;
Living Conditions in the North;
Northern Forestry;
Indigenous Languages |
| ACAP |
www.arctic-council/acap |
Elimination or reduction of PCB's, dioxins and furans, mercury, pesticides, and radioactive waste;
Cleaner production in Russia |
| BARENTS REGIONAL COUNCIL |
 |
www.finnbarents.urova.fi |
Culture;
Education;
Indigenous peoples;
Agriculture and reindeer herding;
Industry and trade;
Women issues;
Health;
Environment;
Communications and information technologies;
Northern Sea Route;
Economic cooperation |
| FOGAR (Forum of Global Associations of Regions) |
|
Northern Forum status: Founding Member |
|
|
http://www.cpmr.org/index.php?act=4,7,2 |
Shaping and promoting a regional dimension for development strategies within States and continental or sub-continental groupings;
Supporting the competences of regional players to help them formulate and implement their development projects;
Exchanging good practices between Regions throughout the world with regard to regional development and participating in the globalisation process. |
| NRG4SD |
|
Northern Forum status: Member of the Steering Committee |
 |
http://www.nrg4sd.net
|
Sustainable development;
Regional development |
| NORDIC COUNCIL |
 |
www.norden.org |
Forestry;
Energy;
Baltic sea |
| INUIT CIRCUMPOLAR CONFERENCE |
 |
www.inuit.org |
Languages;
Communications;
POP's (with the UN);
Human rights (with the UN);
Trade barriers;
Conservation, hunting and fishing |
| RAIPON |
 |
www.raipon.net |
Database on indigenous peoples;
Construction in the North |
| SAAMI COUNCIL |
 |
www.saamicouncil.org |
Human rights;
Indigenous peoples;
Forestry and sustainable development;
Coastal fisheries;
Capacity development in Russia (with RAIPON and GRID-Arendal);
Kola Saami Radio;
Book fairs;
Information strategy |
| UNITED NATIONS |
|
Northern Forum status: NGO with observer status |
 |
www.un.org
|
Go to the website to see the variety of activities covered by the U.N. committees and bodies.
The Northern Forum has signed a partnership with the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) and with the UN Development Program (UNDP) under the Hub for Innovative Partnerships. |
| WORLD WILDLIFE FUND |
 |
www.worldwildlife.org |
Arctic protection (protected areas, reduction CO2 emissions, wildlife preservation);
Ecoregions (Bering Sea) |
Cultivating such links can help to improve the environment, economy, political modes, and diverse cultures of the North. Thus, ties are also developing with various scientific and cultural institutions and organizations, such as the World Widlife Fund (WWF), the International Federation of the Red Cross/ Red Crescent, the International Arctic Science Committee, national-level Arctic Research Commissions, and the Institute of the North.
RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL LEADERS
In order to show the value, and improve the effectiveness, of the Northern Forum's region-to-region approach to international relations, the leaders of the Forum have engaged in dialogue with many national leaders from the Forum's member regions. Such contacts raise awareness of the Northern Forum, and its mission and activities. More importantly, they also indicate that this approach, in cooperation with national leaders, can produce practical results for Northern peoples.
