GOVERNANCE

Governance is about how decisions are made, who makes them, how they’re applied and who’s accountable.

As the climate crisis causes the sea ice in the Arctic to melt and new areas to open up, the region and its communities are facing unprecedented changes and serious threats. As a rapidly changing area, the Arctic needs rules that can adapt as needed.

Why are we concerned about Arctic governance?

Good governance is essential to protect the Arctic’s unique ecosystems and the people who live there. Wildlife, such as migrating marine mammals, cross borders making collaboration between Arctic states and Indigenous Peoples critical.

Around four million people live in the Arctic. While the region holds globally significant reserves of oil, gas, and minerals—and is seeing growing shipping activity—these economic opportunities can cause serious harm if pursued without understanding their impacts on people and nature.

The urgency to cooperate has never been greater. The Arctic is at the frontline of climate change, yet it faces political complexity, limited infrastructure, and a patchwork of governance systems that vary by country and sector. Environmental management across the region remains inconsistent, fragmented, and often inadequate.

National governments have the authority to decide what happens on their land and marine waters – this includes the territorial sea, an area stretching from coastline to 12 nautical miles (nm), and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), areas that are between 12 nm and 200 nm. Beyond that lie the Arctic’s High Seas—an area beyond national jurisdiction governed not by any one country, but through international bodies and agreements, such as:

• The International Maritime Organization (shipping)
• The International Seabed Authority (mineral access)
• The Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement

In 2023, the international community adopted a new High Seas Treaty to better protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Once 60 countries have ratified the treaty and it comes into force, it will allow for more coordinated and predictable management of international waters—including areas of the Arctic Ocean. This will help strike a better balance between protecting biodiversity, supporting scientific research, and promoting sustainable development.

What Governs the Arctic?

Arctic governance is not one system, but a mix of national, regional, and global rules. WWF engages at all levels to advocate for sustainable, inclusive, precautionary, and science-based decision-making.

Visualizing the Arctic governance puzzle

The Arctic is governed through many overlapping systems—national jurisdictions, international treaties, and ecological boundaries. Our interactive map, the many Arctics, helps make sense of this complexity.

Click to explore how boundaries, institutions, and frameworks intersect in the Arctic.