Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)

What Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) does

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) is the Biodiversity Working Group of the Arctic Council, established in 1996 as one of six working groups under the intergovernmental forum. CAFF convenes the eight Arctic States (Canada, Kingdom of Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, United States) and six Permanent Participants representing indigenous peoples organizations (Aleut International Association, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Gwich'in Council International, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Saami Council, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North), alongside non-Arctic Observers. Its mission is to address conservation of Arctic biodiversity and to communicate findings to Arctic governments and residents to promote sustainable practices.

CAFF's core technical platform is the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP), a four-track monitoring framework (Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial, Coastal) backed by expert networks for sea-ice biota, plankton, benthos, fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals. Supporting infrastructure includes the Arctic Biodiversity Data Service (ABDS) — an IODE Associate Data Unit that archives circumpolar biodiversity data and interfaces with GBIF, OBIS, and Arctic SDI — and the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard, an interactive visualization layer built in partnership with NatureServe. Major programmatic outputs include the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA), Actions for Arctic Biodiversity 2025-2035, the Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI), the Arctic Invasive Alien Species (ARIAS) initiative, ArcticFIRE, ASTI, CBird, and youth engagement programs. Data products are distributed free for non-commercial use, and CAFF has formal Resolutions of Cooperation with CBD, Ramsar, CMS, AEWA, EAAFP, OBIS/IODE, GBIF, APECS, GEOBON, and INTERACT.

CAFF does not generate commercial revenue. It is funded through voluntary contributions from Arctic Council member states and project-specific co-funding (e.g., the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Programme / NAPA for the Dashboard). The Secretariat comprises approximately 18 staff based in Akureyri, Iceland, and the go-to-market motion is event-driven — working through Arctic Council plenaries, workshops, and forums such as the Arctic Circle Assembly. All deliverables (reports, datasets, visualizations) are publicly available, with revenue mechanics resting entirely on intergovernmental funding rather than commercial pricing.

Name

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)

Legal name

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)

Website

https://caff.is

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAFF is the Arctic Council's Biodiversity Working Group, coordinating circumpolar biodiversity monitoring, assessment, and policy support across 8 Arctic States, 6 indigenous Permanent Participants, and global observers. It operates the CBMP monitoring framework, the ABDS data service, and the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard, funded by member-state contributions and headquartered in Akureyri, Iceland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity Baseline Studies & Long-Term Monitoring Programs (EUAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Forest Inventory, Mapping & Monitoring (GIS/Remote Sensing/MRV) (IMAMAJAB), Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms (EUABAEAD), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Carbon Accounting, Verification & Registry Services (MRV, Audits, Certification) (IMAMAJAE)

Keywords

• Arctic biodiversity monitoring
• Circumpolar ecosystem assessment
• Intergovernmental environmental cooperation
• Arctic conservation policy
• Biodiversity data services

Headquarters

HQ city

Akureyri

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Intergovernmental Funding: CAFF is funded through contributions from Arctic Council member states as part of the Arctic Council framework. The organization does not generate commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CAFF coordinates circumpolar biodiversity monitoring, assessment, and conservation across the Arctic through international working groups and expert networks. Its core operational framework is the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP), supported by the Arctic Biodiversity Data Service (ABDS) and the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard, and complemented by thematic initiatives on migratory birds, invasive species, climate impacts, wetlands, and protected areas.

Product overview

CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna) is the Biodiversity Working Group of the Arctic Council. It operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs and projects centered around the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP), which serves as the core monitoring framework with four expert group components: Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial, and Coastal biodiversity monitoring. Supporting this core is the Arctic Biodiversity Data Service (ABDS), which serves as the data management system housing biodiversity data, and the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard, which provides data visualization capabilities. Additional major initiatives include the Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI), the Actions for Arctic Biodiversity 2025-2035 strategic guidance, the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA), and the Arctic Invasive Alien Species (ARIAS) project. CAFF also runs youth engagement programs through Inspiring Arctic Voices Through Youth, and various specialized projects addressing fire ecology (ArcticFIRE), wetlands (RAW), protected areas, species trend tracking (ASTI), and marine conservation. The portfolio operates through expert networks, steering groups, and international partnerships across Arctic states, Permanent Participants, and Observer organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 57% increase in Arctic Ocean net primary production between 1998 and 2018 documented through CAFF-AMAP research
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2016 to better coordinate data management efforts.
• Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Statement of cooperation signed in 2015 with the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) to establish the Arctic Biodiversity Data Service as an IODE Associate Data Unit.
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2013 to encourage information sharing to assist in the conservation of wild terrestrial, aquatic and avian species that migrate across jurisdictional boundaries and to assist cooperation with non-Arctic countries on these issues.
• East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2013 to better coordinate efforts to promote and protect birds along a migratory flyway undergoing series declines in some species.
• Ramsar Convention on WetlandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2012 to better coordinate efforts to conserve the Arctic's wetlands.
• African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2012 to contribute to the conservation of migratory waterbird species within the African-Eurasian flyways.
• Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2011 to encourage participation in CAFF activities for those in their early- to mid-career.
• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Resolution of Cooperation signed in 2010 to enhance the presence of Arctic biodiversity in international biodiversity conservation fora and to support information sharing.
• NatureServecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to build the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard data visualization platform, leveraging NatureServe's experience with global biodiversity dashboards.
• Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEOBON)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to align Arctic biodiversity monitoring with global BON efforts.
• International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on terrestrial research and monitoring across the Arctic.
• Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration on marine biodiversity, invasive species, and marine protected areas with PAME, another Arctic Council Working Group.
• Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint CAFF/AMAP project on climate change impacts on Arctic ecosystems and associated climate feedbacks.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NatureServe: Non-profit provider of biodiversity data and indicator tools. Direct technical peer — partnered with CAFF to build the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard — with comparable scientific data infrastructure capabilities.
• Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS): UNESCO-IOC data system for marine biodiversity data. Direct peer in marine biodiversity data standardization and the IODE Associate Data Unit arrangement CAFF established with ABDS.
• Wetlands International: Global NGO dedicated to wetland conservation. Direct peer in wetlands-focused work; CAFF's RAW (Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands) project and the Ramsar Resolution of Cooperation create strong thematic overlap.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): Intergovernmental network providing open access to biodiversity data. Direct peer in mandate to mobilize and standardize biodiversity data; CAFF is a GBIF data publisher and Resolution of Cooperation partner.
• Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP): Sister Arctic Council Working Group focused on monitoring and assessing Arctic pollution and climate change. Direct peer in mandate, governance structure, funding model, and joint projects (e.g., the CAFF/AMAP climate feedbacks program).
• UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC): UN Environment Programme centre providing biodiversity-related data, assessments, and indicators. Direct peer in producing global/regional biodiversity datasets and supporting multilateral environmental agreements.
• Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME): Arctic Council Working Group addressing marine environmental protection. Direct peer sharing governance, joint staffing arrangements, and co-led projects such as Marine Invasive Alien Species.

Emerging players

• BirdLife International: Global partnership of bird conservation organizations. Thematic peer in migratory bird conservation; CAFF's CBird and Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) overlap with BirdLife's flyway programs (EAAFP, AEWA).
• Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON): Global network coordinating biodiversity observations. Thematic peer — CAFF is a GEO BON partner — focused on harmonizing biodiversity monitoring indicators across jurisdictions.

Broad incumbents

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Global authority on biodiversity conservation status and Red List. Comparable in convening power across governments and producing scientific assessments, but operates globally rather than Arctic-specifically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CAFF_Arctic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CAFF_Arctic
• Facebookfacebook.com/CAFFArctic
• Instagraminstagram.com/CAFF_Arctic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caffarctic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)