Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gvh9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T08:16:25.915Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

International cooperation in the Northern Forum: emerging new norms in international law?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2011

Md. Waliul Hasanat
Md. Waliul Hasanat*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
*
Presently at Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland (waliul.hasanat@ulapland.fi)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Northern Forum has been in existence for more than two decades. The cooperative initiatives implement through the forum allow sub-national governments from different parts of the world to improve the quality of life of northern inhabitants and to support their sustainable development. Over time, the forum has established a clear structure with self-created rules and guidelines. However, its legal status is somewhat ambiguous: it has neither fulfilled the essential criteria of an international organisation nor that of an intergovernmental cooperative body. Nevertheless, these shortcomings are not immense obstacles to the forum's ability to serve the well being of residents of the northern regions. The forum has granted membership to business organisations, as well as to sub-national governments, which is an innovative concept in international cooperation. This article examines the evolution, administrative system, and legal status of the forum along with its contribution to the development of international law. The article concludes with observations on how this unique international regional co-operation forum could be characterised under international law and whether it has any influence in creating new norms in international administrative and environmental law.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 48 , Issue 4 , October 2012 , pp. 372 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

In the list below NF refers to Northern Forum. Most of the documents of the NF are password protected. All are on file with the author who would welcome discussion with interested readers concerning the NF. All websites listed below were accessed on 12, 13, or 15 May 2011.Google Scholar
Alaska, . 2009. Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act. Alaska: Alaska government. (Alaska Statutes AS Chapter 10.20 (legal situation as of 2009)). URL: http://www.touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title10/Chapter20.htmGoogle Scholar
Birnie, P. 1992. International environmental law: its adequacy for present and future needs. In: Hurrell, A., and Kingsbury, B. (editors). The international politics of the environment. Oxford: Clarendon Press: 51–84.Google Scholar
Chayes, A., and Chayes, A.H. 1995. The new sovereignty: compliance with international regulatory agreements. Harvard: Harvard University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conca, K. 2004. Rethinking the ecology-sovereignty debate. In: Conca, K., and Dabelko, G.D. (editors). Green planet blues: environmental politics from Stockholm to Johannesburg. Boulder and Colorado: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Governors’, Summit. 1990. Statement of intent. Third Northern Regions Conference, Governors’ summit on regional cooperation (Among the governors, premiers, ministers and chairs of northern regions, Anchorage, 16–20 September, 1990).Google Scholar
Hasanat, Md. W. 2007. Definitional constraints regarding soft law. Asian African Legal Consultative Organisation Quarterly Bulletin 3(1 and 2): 8–32.Google Scholar
Heinämäki, L. 2010. The right to be a part of nature: indigenous peoples and the environment. Rovaniemi: Lapland University Press.Google Scholar
International Business Forum. 1990. Report from the third Northern Regional Conference on Cooperation in a Changing World. Anchorage: Northern Regional Conference (Anchorage, 16–20 September, 1990).Google Scholar
Inuit Leaders. 2008. Towards an Inuit declaration on Arctic sovereignty. Kuujjuaq: Inuit Leaders (Issued by Inuit leaders at the Inuit leaders’ summit on Arctic sovereignty, 6–7 November 2008, Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada). URL: www.sikunews.com/News/International/Arctic-Sovereignty-Begins-with-Inuit-5567Google Scholar
Jabour, J. and Weber, M.. 2008. Is it time to cut the gordian knot of polar sovereignty? Review of European Community and International Environmental Law 17 (1): 27–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, R.H. 1990. Quasi-states: sovereignty, international relations, and the third world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Krisch, N., and Kingsbury, B.. 2006. Symposium on global governance and global administrative law in the international legal order. European Journal of International Law 17 (1): 1–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlais, R. 2000. Arctic co-operation organisations: a status report (prepared for the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, Canada). URL: www.arcticparl.org/_res/site/File/static/conf4_langlais.pdfGoogle Scholar
Lapidoth, R. 1992. Sovereignty in transition. Journal of International Affairs 45 (2): 325–346.Google Scholar
Levy, M.A., Keohane, R.O., and Haas, P.M.. 1993. Improving the effectiveness of international environmental institutions. In Hass, P. M.,. Keohane, R.O., and Levy, M.A. (editors). Institutions for the earth: sources of effective international environmental protection. Cambridge: MIT Press: 3–24.Google Scholar
Migdal, S. J. 1988. Strong societies and weak states: state-society relations and state capabilities in the third world. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
NF 1991a. Articles of incorporation. 1991. Anchorage: NF Inc. (Articles of incorporation as registered before the notary public in and for Alaska, Third judicial district, State of Alaska, 8 November 1991).Google Scholar
NF 1991b. Charter of the NF. The initial gathering of NF members (acting as the General Assembly, 8 November 1991).Google Scholar
NF 1991c. Conference proceedings. The NF meeting, Anchorage (among the governors, premiers and designated representatives Anchorage, Alaska, 30–31 May 1991).Google Scholar
NF 1991d. NF Agreement. The NF meeting (among the Governors, Premiers and Designated Representatives Anchorage, Alaska, 30–31 May 1991).Google Scholar
NF 1991e. The NF founding meeting (Anchorage, 6–8 November 1991).Google Scholar
NF 1993a. The NF resolution 11 (regarding amendment to the NF's, articles of incorporation to declare nonprofit status (approved on 3 October 1993, Tromsø, Norway).Google Scholar
NF 1993b. The NF resolution 12 (regarding development of two additional membership classifications (approved on 3 October 1993, Tromsø, Norway).Google Scholar
NF 1993c. Tromsø Declaration. First general assembly of the NF (Tromsø, Norway, 3 October 1993). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=452.Google Scholar
NF 1994a. Code of conduct. Principles related to the conduct of business operations in the circumpolar north (finalised in the Arctic opportunities conference 12–15 September 1994, Rovaniemi). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=235.Google Scholar
NF 1994b. The NF resolution 17. Concerning creation of an NF flag (16 September 1994, Rovaniemi, Finland).Google Scholar
NF 1995. Hokkaido declaration. Second general assembly of the NF (Sapporo, Japan, 14 September 1995). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=120.Google Scholar
NF 1996a. The NF resolution 41. Concerning clarifications in the entitlements and acceptance of membership III (adopted by the Board of Directors in 1996 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia).Google Scholar
NF 1996b. The NF resolution 42. Concerning clarifications in the definition, entitlements and acceptance of membership IV (adopted by the Board of Directors in 1996 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia).Google Scholar
NF 1997. Yakutsk declaration. Third general assembly of the NF (Yakutsk, the Sakha Republic, Russia, 10–13 August 1997). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=193.Google Scholar
NF 1999. Lapland declaration. Fourth general assembly of the NF (Rovaniemi, Lapland, 1 June 1999). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=129.Google Scholar
NF 2001a. Alberta declaration. Fifth general assembly of the NF (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 29 October 2001). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=87.Google Scholar
NF 2001b. The NF resolution 84. Concerning the membership of a municipality in the Republic of Iceland (approved on 27 March 2001, Moscow, Russia).Google Scholar
NF 2001c. The NF resolution 90. Regarding NF advisory panel (signed and approved on 29 October 2001, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada).Google Scholar
NF 2001d. The NF resolution 95. Concerning change of name and structures of committees (signed and approved 29 October 2001, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada).Google Scholar
NF 2002a. The NF executive committee. Resolution 102. Regarding new regional members of the NF (approved on 17 May 2002, Oulu, Finland).Google Scholar
NF 2002b. The NF executive committee. Resolution 106. Approving revisions to the NF bylaws (signed and approved on 17 May 2002, Oulu, Finland).Google Scholar
NF 2003a. The NF resolution 107. Regarding the status membership (approved on 25 April 2003, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).Google Scholar
NF 2003b. Saint Petersburg declaration. Sixth general assembly of the NF (St. Petersburg, Russia, 25 April 2003). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=172Google Scholar
NF 2005. Harbin declaration. Seventh general assembly of the NF (Harbin, People's Republic of China, 19 June 2005). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=1904.Google Scholar
NF 2007. Khanty-Mansiysk declaration. Eighth general assembly of the NF (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Russian Federation, 28 September 2007). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=2664.Google Scholar
NF 2008a. Bylaws of the NF (approved on 17 November 2008 by resolution 132, Vologda Russia and 3 September 2009 Whitehorse Yukon, Canada by resolution 137).Google Scholar
NF 2008b. The NF rules of procedure (approved on 17 November 2008 by resolution 132, Vologda, Russia and by resolution 137, 3 September 2009, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada).Google Scholar
NF 2009a. The NF resolution 134. Approval of the members of the board of governors (signed and approved on 3 September 2009, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada).Google Scholar
NF 2009b. The NF resolution 137. Changes to bylaws and rules of procedure (signed and approved on 3 September 2009, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada).Google Scholar
NF 2009c. Whitehorse declaration. The NF Ninth general assembly (Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 3 September 2009). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=3146Google Scholar
NF undated a. ‘History’. URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/content/history.html.Google Scholar
NF undated b. ‘Secretariat’. URL: http://www.northernforum.org/servlet/content/secretariat.htmlGoogle Scholar
NF undated c. ‘Member regions’. URL: http://www.northernforum.org/servlet/content/memberregions.htmlGoogle Scholar
NF undated d. ‘Business partners’. URL: http://www.northernforum.org/servlet/content/business.htmlGoogle Scholar
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). Undated. Down to earth: territorial approach to climate change (TACC). URL: www.undp.org/geneva/down_to_earth.htmlGoogle Scholar
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and NF 2007. Memorandum of understanding between the United Nations Development Programme and the NF (signed on 12 September 2007). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=2910Google Scholar
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), NF and (FOGAR) Forum of Global Associations of Regions. 2007. Letter of agreement. 2007 (signed on 12 September 2007). URL: www.northernforum.org/servlet/download?id=2911Google Scholar
United Nations. 1992. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, New York, 9 May 1992 (entered into force 21 March 1994). 1771 UNTS 10.Google Scholar
UNGA (United Nations General Assembly). 1983. United Nations general assembly resolution A/38/161. Process of preparation of the environmental perspective to the year 2000 and beyond (19 December 1983). URL: www.un.org/documents/ga/res/38/a38r161.htmGoogle Scholar
UNGA (United Nations General Assembly).1987. United Nations general assembly resolution A/42/187 (Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, 11 December 1987). URL: www.un.org/documents/ga/res/42/ares42–187.htmGoogle Scholar
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. 1992. Rio Declaration on environment and development (Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June 1992). International Legal Materials 31: 874–878. URL: www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=78&ArticleID=1163CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United States. 1986. United States internal revenue code of 1986. Washington: United States government (Public Law. 99–514, § 2(a), 100 Stat. 2085, enacted 22 October 1986 (with further amendments)).Google Scholar