State of the Arctic Environment: updated draft proposal for AMAP

Abstract

1. Following the establishment of the Rovaniemi initiative to develop an Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, it was proposed that an Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) should be developed. AMAP will be responsible for the preparation of reports on the State of the Arctic Environment; for developing and approving the protocol and coverage assessment; deciding on monitoring requirements; and for advising on the research and other resources needed to undertake investigations. 2. It is proposed that AMAP should, as its first priority, monitor the levels and assess the effects of anthropogenic pollutants in all the component parts of the Arctic environment including the effects of contaminants on human health. To monitor the levels of anthropogenic pollutants, high quality measurements will be of fundamental importance. The measured components will include radionuclides; heavy metals; persistent organic pollutants; various atmospheric gases and aerosols; and various biological and physical parameters. Practical models will be used to complete the knowledge gained from measurements; to perform process studies; to understand transport mechanisms and pathways; to allocate contributions to different regions (transboundary transport), to define measurement strategies still further; and to indicate trends. 3. Two of the most significant threats to the Arctic environment may come from climate change, induced by global warming, and the effects of stratospheric ozone depletion and increased UVb radiation on life forms (including humans) in the Arctic. National monitoring of climate parameters should be co-ordinated within the framework of AMAP when a mutual interest is recognized and not otherwise organized internationally. Programmes to discover the causes and effects of climate change and to understand the processes of climate change are to a large extent being developed by other international groups and in other fora. AMAP should be familiar with these programmes and develop links with them to encourage and facilitate an Arctic focus in climate programs. Measurements aimed at assessing climate change (e. g. extent and variability of sea-ice and glaciers; permafrost and soil-temperature measurements; and changing ecosystems) will provide important inputs to the AMAP dataset. In turn, AMAP data will be relevant to climate change programmes in the Arctic. 4. Campaigns to identify and quantify the extent of possible stratospheric ozone depletion will provide AMAP with useful data. In turn, AMAP will contribute data on the effects. 5. AMAP has noted that other impacts on the Arctic environment arise not only from the long-range transport of pollutants but from local activities, which include mining, hydrocarbon exploitation, and changing settlement patterns and changing lifestyles. 6. One of the first AMAP tasks will be to co-ordinate and assess national programmes and to develop these programmes in an international framework so as to meet the basic needs of the Rovaniemi process. Existing work by relevant international programmes will be utilised in such assessments. A further stage will be the development and extension of such measurement networks. 7. It is proposed that AMAP's organisational structure should include an Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Task Force (AMATF) and a permanent secretariat. The Task Force will consist of the eight Arctic nations plus observers from other nations with significant Arctic research programmes. A liaison mechanism will be developed for a wide range of international organizations involved in monitoring and regulatory activities, assessments and research (e. g. ICES; OSPARCOM; UNECE; World Climate Programmeof WMO/ICSU; WMO; the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme). It will also be necessary to liaise with organizations specialising in the Arctic such as the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the Arctic Ocean Sciences Board (AOSB) and with international organizations representing indigenous peoples. 8. The establishment of a central database that can serve the Task Force and participating scientists is recommended. In the first phase there is a need for a directory/ reference database and a system for the interchange of data. A system for preparing and presenting key information for the status reports has also to be established. 9. Coordination of research on the Arctic environment and processes should be encouraged between participating countries. Research projects should be linked to monitoring in such a way that essential processes important for understanding and explaining observations have high priority. Close co-operation between the IASC and AMAP should be established.