The five
polar bear range states, Canada, Greenland, Russia, USA and Norway, met in
Iqaluit to provide an update on the conservation status of polar bears and
their habitat throughout their range. Agreement was made to develop a joint
circumpolar action plan to guide polar bear conservation efforts. This
circumpolar action plan will cover the entire circumpolar range of polar bears.
It will complement the national action plans on polar bear management, which
the Range States are working on. The full outcome document from Iqaluit,
including the main elements to be included in the circumpolar plan, can be
found under Outcome of meeting 2011,
at this page. For further information about the Iqaluit meeting you may contact
the Canadian Wildlife Service at polar.bear@ec.gc.ca.
The polar
bear range states entered into an agreement in 1973 to protect polar bears and
their habitat. Widespread hunting had
reduced polar bear populations in many parts of the Arctic. Norway hosted the
previous meeting of the parties to the 1973 Polar Bear Agreement in Tromsø 17 -
19 March 2009.
Scientific
advice to the five polar bear range states is provided by the IUCN/SSC Polar
Bear Specialist Group (PBSG), and more information about polar bears and the
PBSG can be found here.