Polar Bears International CAP Final Review

CAP Implementation Dynamics & International Collaboration

This presentation will summarize a 2024 qualitative study, conducted by Emily Ringer at Polar Bears International, that examined dynamics shaping the implementation of the Circumpolar Action Plan for Polar Bears (CAP), the strengths and limitations of international collaboration, and opportunities for the plan’s evolution post-2025. The study’s overarching aim is to contribute to understanding how organizational operations and systems of governance impact our effectiveness—with the hope that more knowledge about the dynamics of our cross-community, cross-cultural relationships and frameworks may strengthen how we work together.

Drawing on interviews with 18 people involved in CAP implementation and supplementary analysis of official documentation, the study identifies both technical and social factors shaping progress and synthesizes the collected data into a set of key recommendations. The study concludes that continued international collaboration is essential but must evolve toward a leaner, more inclusive, and relationship-centered model—one that balances ambition with practicality and includes adaptive mechanisms that reflect evolving environmental and political realities.

The full report, an executive summary, and appendices are posted with the meeting materials.

The Circumpolar Action Plan for Polar Bears
A qualitative inquiry into implementation dynamics & international cooperation

Prepared by Emily Ringer, Polar Bears International

INTRODUCTION
Over the past fifty years, threats to polar bears have expanded. The conservation of the species is complicated by transboundary challenges like climate change, as well as escalating domestic issues like human-bear conflict. To meet this new era of threats, the Polar Bear Range States (PBRS) committed to a ten-year conservation plan—the Circumpolar Action Plan for Polar Bears (CAP)—from 2015 to 2025. The CAP is the first of its kind amongst the PBRS.
Conducted in early 2024, this study identified 1) dynamics influencing CAP implementation, 2) strengths and challenges of international collaboration under the CAP, and 3) visions for future configurations of this joint conservation work.