ICC has been attending an important United Nations forum called the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for many years. The IMO was created in 1958 to oversee and regulate shipping around the world. It is based in London, UK.
Bringing the Inuit voice to this forum is important because we are a marine people, we rely on the sea for much of our food, and our goods are shipped to us during annual sealifts. Our way of life is intricately tied to the Arctic ecosystem and our culture and knowledge systems. We depend on the Arctic sea ice, floe edge, and polynyas for food security.
Due to the effects of climate change, the Arctic is becoming ice-free in the summer months, resulting in a large increase in ship traffic in our waters. An Arctic Council report looking at ship traffic from 2013-2019 showed a 75% increase in distance sailed, and 25% increase in unique ships. This trend is expected to continue.
ICC is the first Indigenous Peoples Organization to gain provisional consultative status at the IMO. We received this in November of 2021. On this page you can find related documents to our application for permanent consultative status. Also you will find documents related to the issues we are speaking out on at the IMO, such as Black Carbon, Underwater Noise, and the use of Heavy Fuel Oils (HFOs) in the Arctic.
Under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Inuit and other Indigenous peoples worldwide have inherent rights to these territories and resources. It is ICC’s hope to find meaningful and creative ways to bring UNDRIP to all aspects of global governance, and it is our view that the IMO and its member organizations will benefit greatly from this approach.
ICC is also interested in the human element and promoting safe operations for seafarers, particularly Indigenous community harvesters and sea lift operations. Inuit are ship owners and operators, and have an interest in ensuring a working environment which benefits people and maintains cultural practices and livelihoods.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Position Paper
Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) – version November 22, 2023
Documents ICC has submitted to the IMO:
Sub-committee Documents:
Sub-committee on Ship Design and Construction (10th session. Agenda item 5)
Sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (11th session. Agenda item 6)
Sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (11th session. Agenda item 7)