The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Arctic Action Plan
Changes in the Baltic Sea region are closely tied to developments in the Arctic. To better understand the challenges and opportunities arising from changes in the Arctic, Estonia aims to strengthen its participation in the region’s diverse international cooperation efforts.
The action plan sets strategic goals to achieve this. Estonia’s primary interests include contributing to the development of cross-regional knowledge about environmental changes to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of global climate change, collaborating with Arctic communities on implementing digital solutions, and promoting cultural and scientific cooperation with Arctic Indigenous Peoples. In addition to digital solution providers, Estonia has several companies whose activities and products are well-suited to Arctic climates and can contribute to improving local living conditions. In terms of security, Estonia supports keeping the Arctic a conflict- and tension-free region.
The governance of the Arctic lies in the hands of Arctic states, and the Arctic Council plays a central role in this international cooperation. Estonia is a candidate for observer status in the Council.
Scientific Cooperation in Polar Regions
Many early polar explorers came from what is now Estonia. For decades, Estonian ethnographers, linguists, and folklorists, in collaboration with colleagues from Hungary and Finland, have focused on Indigenous peoples in the Ural region, Siberia, and the Far East. Today, Estonian researchers remain active participants in various fields of polar cooperation. For example, our researchers study coastal erosion and melting of glaciers, changes in vegetation in the Arctic, changes in climate factors and bioaerosol, and the activities of Arctic indigenous organizations and their relations with state structures, as well as the involvement of indigenous peoples in research and co-creation projects that concern them in different Arctic countries. Knowledge and solutions created through the initiative and involvement of Estonian scientists have also reached the working groups of the Arctic Council.
The expertise of Estonian universities in polar research is utilized in the research programs of many institutions and universities in Arctic states or those closely connected to the region.
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Last updated: 24.01.2025
