PAME is one of six Arctic Council working groups. PAME was first established under the 1991 Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy and was continued by the 1996 Ottawa Charter that established the Arctic Council.
PAME is the focal point of the Arctic Council’s activities related to the protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment and provides a unique forum for collaboration on a wide range of activities in this regard.
PAME operates largely within these themes:
- Arctic Shipping
- Marine Protected Areas
- Resource Exploration and Development
- Ecosystem Approach to Management
- Arctic Marine Strategic Plan 2015-2025
- Arctic Marine Pollution
PAME carries out activities as set out in bi-annual work plans approved by the Arctic Council on the recommendation of the Senior Arctic Officials. These activities led by PAME include circumpolar and regional action programmes and guidelines complementing existing legal arrangements aimed at protection of the Arctic marine environment from both land and sea-based activities. PAME works in close collaboration with the other five Arctic Council Working Groups.
The PAME Working Group consists of National Representatives responsible for its work in their respective countries. Permanent Participants, representing Arctic indigenous groups, also participate in PAME, as well as representatives of several observer countries and interested organisations. PAME provides a unique forum for collaboration on wide range of Arctic marine environmental issues.
The PAME WG generally meets twice a year to assess progress of work, discuss program priorities and develop its biennial work plans. The PAME WG is headed by a chair and vice-chair, which rotate among the Arctic countries and is supported by an International Secretariat, based in Akureyri, Iceland. PAME reports to the Senior Arctic Officials, and through them, to the Ministers of the Arctic Council that meets every two years.
Every two years, a summary report for the work of PAME during each biennium is created. These reports give insight into PAME's work in each of its six working themes.
The PAME Main Achievements 2019-2021 was one of PAME's deliverables in 2021.
PAME Chairmanship
PAME's Chair:
Dr. Katrine Nissen
Deputy Director, Danish Environmental Protection Agency
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PAME Vice-Chair
Elizabeth McLanahan
Director, Office of International Affairs
For the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
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PAME Heads of Delegations
- Canada: Jasmine Jarjour (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- The Kingdom of Denmark: Nathia Hass Brandtberg (Ministry of the Environment, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Greenland: Maja Heegaard (Government of Greenland, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Faroe Islands: Unn Krákustein (Ministry of Foreign affairs, Industry and Trade, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Finland: Jan Ekebom (Ministry of the Environment, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Iceland: Hugi Ólafsson (Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Norway: Fredrik Theisen (Ministry for Climate and Environment, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- The Russian Federation: Tamara Dalgatova (Ministry of Natural Resources, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Sweden: Jessica Nilsson (Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- The United States: Elizabeth McLanahan (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
PAME Secretariat Staff
Executive Secretary
Soffia Gudmundsdottir
Mobile: + 354 863 8576
Email: pame(at)pame.is
Executive Assistant
Olga Pálsdóttir
Tel: +354 462 3350
Mobile: + 354 861 6636
Email: olga(at)pame.is
Project Manager
Hjalti Þór Hreinsson
Mobile: +354 659 9533
Email: hjalti(at)pame.is