International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Arctic Pollution 2002

The second AMAP State of the Arctic Environment Report, updating the 1997 AMAP assessments on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Heavy Metals, Radioactivity, and Human Health, and including a new assessment on Climate Change Effects on Contaminant Pathways. Information is presented in a clear and readable manner for the non-scientific audience; richly illustrated and prefaced by an Executive Summary with recommendations specifically addressed to Ministers of the eight Arctic countries.

FileHeavy Metals — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:34 AM
Metals are naturally occurring elements. They are found in elemental form and in a variety of other chemical compounds. Each form or compound has different properties, which affect how the metal is transported, what happens to it in the food web, and how toxic it is. Some metals are vital nutrients in low concentrations.
FileChanging Pathways — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:45 AM
The Arctic is subject to natural climate cycles. Some occur over time scales as short as a few years, while others may span decades, centuries, or even millennia. In addition to this natural variability, the Arctic will be affected by global climate changes related to increases in greenhouse gases.
FileHuman Health — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:48 AM
AMAP has a mandate to evaluate the combined effects of pollutants in the Arctic. But human health is much broader than just pollutants. From a public health perspective, the human environment is the sum of physical, chemical, biological, social, and cultural factors that affect people’s well-being. Aside from data on levels and effects of pollutants,
FileRadioactivity — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:49 AM
Radioactivity is a concern for human and ecosystem health because radioactive material emits ionizing radiation that has the ability to damage living cells.
FilePersistent Organic Pollutants — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:50 AM
The class of persistent organic pollutants, or POPs for short, covers a large number of chemicals with some common characteristics that make them potential problems in the environment. By definition, POPs are persistent, which means that they break down slowly in the environment. Persistent chemicals are more likely to travel over long distances and reach remote regions such as the Arctic.
FileArctic Pollution 2002 Executive Summary — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:50 AM
The assessment showed that the Arctic is closely connected to the rest of the world, receiving contaminants from sources far outside the Arctic region. The report was welcomed by the Arctic Council Ministers, who agreed to increase their efforts to limit and reduce emissions of contaminants into the environment and to promote international cooperation in order to address the serious pollution risks reported by AMAP.
FileSetting the Stage — by admin — last modified Aug 11, 2014 09:53 AM
Environmental contaminants are a global problem. Their presence and role in the Arctic reflects the physical, biological, and social characteristics of the region, as well as the way the Arctic interacts with the rest of the world. Current concern about Arctic contaminants began with discoveries of high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in some indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic.
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