Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress Page: 54 of 117
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress
2017 Arctic SAR Capabilities Survey
A 2017 survey of Arctic SAR capabilities conducted as part of the Finnish Border Guard's Arctic
Maritime Safety Cooperation project in cooperation with the Arctic Coast Guard Forum stated:
The key challenges for Arctic search and rescue identified in this survey include long
distances, severe weather, ice and cold conditions, a poor communications network, lack
of infrastructure and lack of resource presence in the region. In addition, the capacity to
host patients, achieving situational awareness, and unsuitable evacuation and survival
equipment pose major challenges for maritime safety and SAR in the Arctic.
The Arctic SAR authorities have recognized a need to further develop advanced
information sharing between coast guards, emergency authorities, and other stakeholders
involved in SAR operations. In addition, joint training and systematic sharing of lessons
learned, as well as technological innovation in communications networks and connections,
navigation, survival and rescue equipment, and healthcare services are being called for in
order to improve SAR capabilities in the Arctic.
The survey recommends enhancing practical cooperation between various stakeholders
involved in Arctic SAR such as coast guards, rescue centers, other authorities, industry
groups, private operators, academia and volunteer organizations. It encourages further
information sharing on infrastructure projects and resource assets, Automatic Identification
System and weather data, emergency plans and standard operating procedures, as well as
exercises and lessons learned via a common database. Furthermore, developing joint
courses specifically intended for Arctic SAR and establishing a working group that
examines new innovations and technological developments, are recommended as potential
initiatives for improving practical international cooperation.225
May 2011 Arctic Council Agreement on Arctic SAR
On May 12, 2011, representatives from the member states of the Arctic Council, meeting in
Nuuk, Greenland, signed an agreement on cooperation on aeronautical and maritime SAR in the
Arctic. Key features of the agreement include the following:
" Article 3 and the associated Annex to the agreement essentially divide the Arctic
into SAR areas within which each party has primary responsibility for
conducting SAR operations, stating that "the delimitation of search and rescue
regions is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any boundary
between States or their sovereignty, sovereign rights or jurisdiction," and that
"each Party shall promote the establishment, operation and maintenance of an
adequate and effective search and rescue capability within its area."
" Article 4 and the associated Appendix Ito the agreement identify the competent
authority for each party. For the United States, the competent authority is the
Coast Guard.
* Article 5 and the associated Appendix II to the agreement identify the agencies
responsible for aeronautical and maritime SAR for each party. For the United
States, those agencies are the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense.
* Article 6 and the associated Appendix III to the agreement identify the
aeronautical and/or maritime rescue coordination centers (RCCs) for each party.
For the United States, the RCCs are Joint Rescue Coordination Center Juneau
225 Emmi Ikonen, Arctic Search and Rescue Capabilities Survey: Enhancing International Cooperation 2017, Finnish
Border Guard, Arctic Maritime Safety Cooperation (SARC) project, August 2017, p. iv.Congressional Research Service
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O'Rourke, Ronald. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress, report, August 1, 2018; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1248258/m1/54/?rotate=180: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.