Inuit Circumpolar Council

What is the Inuit Circumpolar Council?

Founded in 1977 by the late Eben Hopson of Barrow, Alaska, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) has flourished and grown into a major international non-government organization representing approximately 180,000 Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka (Russia). The organization holds Consultative Status II at the United Nations.

To thrive in their circumpolar homeland, Inuit had the vision to realize they must speak with a united voice on issues of common concern and combine their energies and talents towards protecting and promoting their way of life. The principal goals of ICC are, therefore, to strengthen unity among Inuit of the circumpolar region; promote Inuit rights and interests on an international level; develop and encourage long-term policies that safeguard the Arctic environment; and seek full and active partnership in the political, economic, and social development of circumpolar regions.

ICC holds a General Assembly every four years at which delegates from across the circumpolar region elect a new Chair and an executive council, develop policies, and adopt resolutions that will guide the activities of the organization for the coming term. The General Assembly is the heart of the organization, providing an opportunity for sharing information, discussing common concerns, debating issues, and strengthening the bonds between all Inuit. Representatives from the Inuit Circumpolar Youth Council and the International Elders Council attend, thereby improving communications and creating synergies with these important affiliated organizations.

ICC's Advocacy Role on Climate Change for Inuit Peoples

Inuit have been speaking out on the issue of climate change for decades.

This is one of ICCs principle initiatives and over the years and the organization has undertaken numerous activities including communicating its Arctic manifestations to the world, working with those that hope to mitigate the current and future impacts of climate change, and supporting initiatives that aim to hold those responsible for climate change accountable to Inuit and others that are and will be affected.

Within the Arctic Council, the ICC has worked to contribute to substantial reports on the ravages of climate change such as the reports of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA).

The ICC worked diligently at the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change over the decades in order to bring a consistent message regarding the harmful effects the changing climate is having on Arctic homelands.

Through climate change officers like Joanna Petrasek Macdonald, ICC has contributed over the years, to a broad range of policy recommendations in the field of climate change pertaining to mitigation, adaptation, as well as research, observations, monitoring, modelling and outreach.

Over the decades ICC leaders have delivered speeches on this topic to audiences worldwide to bring Arctic and Inuit perspectives on climate change to the attention of decision-makers. 

Each year our activities related to this issue are reported within our Annual Report, and every four years in the Report on Activities prepared for our General Assemblies. As well, the resulting Declarations issued following each ICC General Assembly have included specific actions to undertake by ICC leaders during the four years between our Assemblies.