Representatives of the polar bear range states – Russia, Norway, Canada, Greenland and the United States – met in Longyearbyen (Norway) to discuss the results of their joint efforts to preserve polar bears.

Russia will conduct a complete count of its polar bear population for the first time in history under the national project Environment through to 2024. The participants determined priority areas of cooperation and coordinated an implementation plan for 2020–2022. They reaffirmed that human-induced climate change and bear hunting remain the main threats to polar bears. Experts believe that only the immediate, resolute and well-coordinated efforts of all the range states can mitigate the effects of climate change for the Arctic environment and polar bears.

According to the Circumpolar Action Plan, polar bear threats also include conflicts with humans, unsustainable hunting in the countries where it is allowed, oil spills, mining and development of mineral deposits, contaminants, poaching, shipping, unregulated tourism and polar bear diseases and parasites.

Members of the Russian delegation suggested prioritising goals and actions for the next period and introducing a system of measures for assessing the effectiveness of the Circumpolar Action Plan.

The polar bear range states have held biennial meetings since 2007. Norway passed the chairmanship of the polar bear preservation agreement to Canada. The next meeting will take place in Canada in 2023.