The Arctic Council and the climate challenges in the Arctic
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necessary to monitor the development of pollution resulting from new pollutants. In November 2013, a report was published showing that there are high levels of some of
these new contaminants in animals and in human milk.
170
Figure 6 The highest concentrations of environmental toxins are usually at the top of the food chain
Human in the Arctic Polar bear
Ring seal
Cod
Shrimp Plankton
Concentration of environmental toxins in the food chain
The larger the dots, the higher the concentration
Source: Miljøstatus.no
Although there has been positive change in many areas, the Norwegian Polar Institute also noted that contamination from pollutants in the air and animals varies in scope
and development. Some of this development in Svalbard is shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7 shows a pronounced decline in the incidence of the main pollutants HCH, PCBs, chlordanes, DDT and PAHs in Svalbard. Measurements for the pesticide HCB
have not fallen despite the fact that there is an international ban on its use.
170 Chlorinated parafins, see the Norwegian Environment Agency 2013 Perfluorinated alkylated substances, brominated flame retardants and chlorinated paraffins in the Norwegian Environment-Screening 2013. Report M402013.
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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