The Arctic Council’s recommendations on climate measures

80 Document 3:3 2014–2015 Report Figure 7 Level of key environmental toxins in Svalbard, measured in the air in the period 1993–2012 0,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00 6,00 7,00 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 HCH HCB PCB Chlordanes DDT PAH Hexachlorocyclohexane HCH, hexachlorobenzene HCB, polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs, chlordanes, dichloro­diphenyl­ trichloroethane DDT and polyaromatic hydrocarbons PAH. Source: NILU The presence of PCBs in the air has gone down along with the incidence of PCBs in polar bears. The Norwegian Polar Institute nevertheless pointed out that PCB levels in polar bears in Svalbard are two to six times higher than in polar bears in Alaska and Canada. Polar bear research in Svalbard. In Svalbard, the incidence of PCB fell from 1993 to 2012. However, according to the Norwegian Polar Institute, it is still two to six times higher than in Polar bears in Alaska and Canada. Photo: Nick Cobbing, Norwegian Polar Institute 81 Document 3:3 2014–2015 Report The measurements in Svalbard show that for the key heavy metals there has been a pronounced 171 decline in the incidence of lead, while in the last 20 years there has been no clear tendency for cadmium and mercury 172 , cf. Figure 8. Figure 8 The occurrence of heavy metals in the air in Svalbard in the period 1994–2012, ngm 3 0,000 0,020 0,040 0,060 0,080 0,100 0,120 0,140 0,00 0,20 0,40 0,60 0,80 1,00 1,20 1,40 1,60 1,80 2,00 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Mer cury Lead and cadmium Lead Mercury Cadmium Source: NILU, updated figures at August 2013 In an interview, the Norwegian Polar Institute pointed out that increased commercial activity farther north in shipping, petroleum, isheries and tourism will also increase local environmental impacts. Local pollution in Svalbard is caused by mining activi- ties in particular. 173 According to the Ministry of the Environment, environmental monitoring in the Norwegian Arctic is included in ordinary environmental monitoring cf. state programme for pollution, nature index, Red Lists and environmental indicators. Within this nationwide monitoring system, a subsystem was also established that was speciically targeted at the ice-covered parts of the Norwegian Arctic, namely Svalbard and Jan Mayen Environmental Monitoring of Svalbard and Jan Mayen MOSJ. The Polar Institute is responsible for MOSJ. Separate indicators were prepared in this monitoring work. The atmosphere, land and ocean areas are environ- mentally monitored through MOSJ. In addition, a number of thematic monitoring programmes are carried out: Overvåking av luftforurensning fra Zeppelinstasjonen i Ny Ålesund Monitoring of air pollution from the Zeppelin station in Ny Ålesund, Fangst og bestander for kommersielle iskeslag Catches and stocks of commercial ish species and Temperatur og nedbør på de meteorologiske stasjonene Temperature and precipitation at the meteorological stations. In areas where there are thematic programmes, MOSJ selects key indicators and puts them in context across disciplines and topics. According to the Ministry of the Environment, this helps create a new understanding of the relationships between diferent types of environmental impacts and the efects of them in nature. 174 171 Signiicant in statistical terms. 172 MOSJ, NILU, measurements at 2012 with comments and measurement data updated at August 2013. 173 State of the Environment Norway, www.miljostatus.no. 174 Interview with the Ministry of the Environment and Environmental Monitoring of Svalbard and Jan Mayen MOSJ, www.mosj.npolar.no. 82 Document 3:3 2014–2015 Report

5.2.2 Work on environmental toxins in the Arctic Council

In the Arctic Council, it is particularly the AMAP and ACAP working groups that work on the issues of pollution and environmental toxins in the Arctic. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme Working Group AMAP According to AMAP’s strategic plan, one of the objectives is to ensure a robust circumpolar monitoring network that eiciently detects changes and negative trends throughout the Arctic region for a number of environmental factors – including contaminants, climate change and combinations of these. AMAP has also established an expert group on environmental toxins. AMAP prioritises the following issues in contaminants: • persistent organic pollutants POPs • heavy metals particularly mercury, cadmium and lead • radioactivity • acidiication and Arctic haze i.e. visible air pollution • contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons oil and gas pollution • combined efects of pollutants and other factors that afect both ecosystems and people in the Arctic 175 AMAP is an extension of the Arctic environmental protection cooperation from 1989 cf. AEPS and since the establishment of the Arctic Council in 1996 has produced several reports on pollution and contaminants in the Arctic and how this afects people and animals living in the Arctic. Table 3 provides an overview of AMAP’s key reports in this context and the manner in which the reports are referred to in the ministerial declarations. Table 3 AMAP’s work on contaminants in the Arctic and discussion at Ministerial Meetings Ministerial declaration Type of report and contents Report recommendations adopted at Ministerial Meeting 1998 Report on POPs, heavy metals, radioactivity, acidiication and impact of environmental toxins on nature and humans The Iqaluit Declaration, 1998 2002 Updating of data and information about POPs, heavy metals, radioactivity and impact on human health The Inari Declaration, 2002 2006 Updating of data and information on acidify- ing pollutants in the Arctic The Salekhard Declaration, 2006 2009 Updating of data and information about POPs, radioactivity and human health Only generally, no mention of this update explicitly Tromsø, 2009 2011 Mercury General support for efforts to establish an international agreement on mercury Nuuk, 2011 2013 Acidiication of the oceans Kiruna, 2013 Source: AMAP’s list of reports and studies on pollution in the Arctic and the ministerial declarations AMAP’s irst report is a status report which established a basis for knowledge about pollutants throughout the Arctic. Later studies have concentrated on updating know- ledge of environmental toxins and reports on speciic topics such as mercury. Many parties have pointed out that this work has been of great importance for knowledge about pollutants in the Arctic. 176 175 Interviews with AMAP on 28 February 2012 and 13 June 2013 and www.amap.no. 176 In addition to Norwegian authorities, the European Science Foundation pointed out the same.