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In Trump era, Arctic Council steers clear of addressing the climate crisis

Scientists say the Arctic region is warming about twice as fast as the rest of the planet, but the Trump administration blocked a council statement from referring to that threat.

A glacier in eastern Greenland flowing through a fjord carved by the movement of ice.
A glacier in eastern Greenland flowing through a fjord carved by the movement of ice. (AN/NASA)

The eight-nation Arctic Council reaffirmed its commitment to peace, stability and cooperation on Tuesday but skirted mention of a global climate crisis that scientists and many others consider the world's top challenge.

Despite the Arctic region's melting ice and rising sea levels that pose a serious threat to life on the planet, the leading intergovernmental forum for the region only said it remains supportive of sustainable development and general "protection of the Arctic environment," according to a two-page joint declaration from ministers attending a summit in Rovaniemi, capital and commercial hub of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland.

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