In order to regulate commercial development in the rapidly transforming region, a World Wildlife Fund report, which detailed about serious gaps in global supremacy of the Arctic Ocean, called for a new international accord.

Loophole in maritime law, pollution regulation, shipping rules, fishing zones and other spheres of activity were identified in the WWF study. This ambiguity could do permanent damage to the marine environment, its biodiversity as well as indigenous peoples.

The report claims, "There are no clear responsibilities and mechanisms keeping marine resource extraction within sustainable limits, or for preventing and responding to pollution accidents and shipping disasters".

The WWF's proposed Arctic Ocean Framework Convention would challenge the more exclusive "Arctic 5" grouping of coastal states.

The Arctic coastal states is worthy of special status in charting the region's future along with the international Antarctic Treaty, which restricts commercial development on the southern polar continent.

The environmental stakes are very high in the Arctic, according to the report researched and authored by international legal experts from Finland and the Netherlands. Even a compulsory multilateral convention, administered through the Arctic Council by a lot of stakeholders, is crucial.