Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect the Arctic environment and its eco-system.

The rapid changes taking place in the Arctic pose immense challenges for Arctic States as well as for neighbouring countries including the UK. The Government is actively engaged in protecting the Arctic environment and ecological system. The UK promotes greater understanding of the Arctic through international scientific collaboration and the development of policy based on sound science. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) works with other countries to build an understanding of the threats and opportunities posed by climate change. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) works with the Arctic Council to protect migratory bird species across the Arctic and the UK. The UK's leading role in reducing human-generated greenhouse gas emissions is vital to safeguarding the Arctic environment, as is our engagement in key international organisations. A £16 million research programme funded by NERC over the next 5 years will focus on the effects of changes to sea ice cover on the marine eco-system in the Arctic.