UN Environment Arctic advisor in Arendal

John Crump

By GRID-Arendal

March 2^nd, 2018

The weather in Arendal greeted UN Environment’s new Principal Advisor for the Arctic and the Antarctic in an appropriate way – with a howling wind out of the north driving before it a blinding snowstorm.

Jan Dusik was recently appointed to his new position by UN Environment Executive Director, Erik Solheim. Dusik is based at the UN Environment Europe office and came to Arendal to meet the staff and discuss GRID-Arendal's polar initiatives and links with the University of the Arctic.

Peter Harris and Jan Dusik in the snowstorm

GRID-Arendal is working closely with Dusik and his office to implement a new Arctic strategy, a key component of which is support for the activities of the Arctic Council and its working groups. Topics discussed included UN Environment and GRID-Arendal’s support to the Finnish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council ahead of an Arctic environment ministers’ meeting in October. How some of UN Environment’s initiatives in other regions could be linked to the Arctic region were also explored.