Topic:
Country: Poland
Delegate Name: Clara DeWaele
Poland believes that actions taken in the Arctic Circle have environmental impacts that should not be overlooked. As resources have been continuously extracted from the Earth for centuries, draining the world of its nonrenewable resources, eyes have turned toward the Arctic. The Arctic holds some of the world’s largest undiscovered reserves of resources, making it desirable for countries searching for other sources of energy. This increased interest threatens the environment of the Arctic Circle, as extraction processes can be hazardous to the area around it. Poland believes that though the Arctic can be seen as an economic opportunity, it is important to ensure the future of its environment through international cooperation as a basis for sustainable practices and environmentally friendly extraction processes.
Poland holds an observer status on the Arctic Council, and has been involved in research in the Arctic for decades, having one constantly operating station and four seasonal stations. Along with individual research within the Arctic, Poland has participated in several working groups, such as the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), and Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFFE). Poland is very concerned with the environmental impact that further extraction of resources might have on the Arctic, and with the increasing effects of climate change, wishes to be more engaged in issues regarding the Arctic.
As a country that holds interest in the future wellbeing of the Arctic, Poland suggests action to be taken to maintain environmentally friendly extraction processes of resources. Additionally, Poland believes that it is important to include more countries in this process, to further develop research in the Arctic, so that it may be better preserved. It is important to protect the habitat of the Arctic, so further land claims should be prohibited to prevent further exploitation, and to respect the interests of indigenous peoples. With that, Poland also finds it important to continue the access of water transportation throughout the Arctic, as it makes both trade and research more accessible. Poland hopes to find support for these actions in other non-arctic countries who wish to have a say in actions involving the Arctic Circle, because though they lack land claims, Poland, along with other countries, have contributed to development in the Arctic, and should have a voice in decisions being made.
