Download EEA and the Arctic 2013

EEA and the Arctic
Nikolaj Bock
EEA and the Arctic
Cooperation with Greenland:
2010: Environment
2012: Health
Cooperation with Russia:
5 areas of environmental monitoring
Arctic Council working groups
Attending as ad-hoc observers
Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks
EEA is part of the SAON initiative
32 Member countries*
6 Cooperating countries in Western Balkans
*5 are member countries in the Arctic Council (DEN, SWE, FIN, ICE, NOR)
6 are permanent observes in the Arctic Council (ES, FR, GE, NL, PL, UK)
EU and Italy has applied for observer status in Arctic Council
Providing data and information on state and outlook of
Europe’s environment, including the Arctic
Environmental Atlas of Europe (Short films)
- Melting Ice (Greenland)
- Reindeer Herding (Sami)
- Ice Roads (Finland)
- Waste (Greenland)
Cooperation with Greenland
Cooperation agreements with Greenland:
November 2010: Environment
January 2012: Environment & Health
Greenland has since 2011 participated in NFP/Eionet meetings
Climate adaptation film
(Greenland 2007)
Climate film for COP15
(Greenland 2009)
European Environment Agency
Waste management film
(Greenland 2011)
Steps towards an EU Arctic Policy
• March 2008: Joint paper by the High Representative and the
European Commission on Climate Change and Security
• October 2008: Resolution of the European Parliament
• November 2008: Communication of the European Commission on
the European Union and the Arctic Region
• December 2009: Arctic Council Conclusions
• January 2010: European Parliament report on the High North
• February 2012: European Commission Arctic Progress report
• July 2012: Joint Communication on the Arctic region (progress
and next steps)
• June 2013 (Expected): Arctic Council Conclusions
EU Arctic policy & EEA activities
The EU and the Arctic Region, 3 main objectives:
1. Protecting and preserving the Arctic in unison with its people
2. Promoting sustainable use of resources
3. Contributing to enhanced International cooperation
EEA supporting and contributing to environmental monitoring,
networking and information systems and discussions on sustainable
development.
Monitoring and Observing the Arctic
EU support to SAON
(Monaco Declaration)
EEA supported SAON
process
EEA on SAON Board
EEA will provide Arctic
observation and
information service on
Eye on Earth
Developing a PolarWatch on Eye on Earth
Global drivers & mega trends that affect the Arctic:
•
•
•
•
•
Climate change
Population growth and migration patterns
Growing demand for natural resources
The state of the world economy
Changing trade patterns/demand for new
products/increasing purchasing power in e.g. Asia
• World prices on key commodities (oil, gas and minerals)
• Increasing unsustainable environmental pollution loads
Regional drivers that affect the Arctic:
The rate of exploration of natural resources (hydrocarbons and minerals
forestry or fisheries)
The safeguarding measures taken to protect the environment and
ecosystems from such activities, including from shipping and tourism, la
fragmentation, pollution loads, etc.
The introduction of appropriate governance structures and measures to
tackle the emerging challenges
The challenges facing the Arctic
• Climate Change (change in snow/ice cover, permafrost)
• Long range pollution (air/ocean currents)
• Exploitation or damage to natural resources
• Overharvesting of certain key fish stocks
• Impacts of infrastructure developments
• Land fragmentation
• Loss of biodiversity
• Pressure from increasing tourism
• Operational accidents in the oil and gas sector
• Overall quality of surface and marine waters
• Pollution from mining activities and metal ore processing plants
• Mismanagement of areas of Arctic forest and unsustainable logging practices
Potential tipping elements with direct impacts on Europe
Source: EEA, 2010b
Thank you