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Strategy
12
12. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme is one of five Working Groups of the Arctic Council.
The primary function of AMAP is to advise the governments of the eight Arctic countries (Canada,
Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States) on matters
relating to threats to the Arctic region from pollution, and associated issues.
AMAP was originally established in 1991 to implement parts of the Arctic Environmental Protection
Strategy (AEPS). It was requested by Ministers of the eight Arctic countries to:
"provide reliable and sufficient information on the status of, and threats to, the Arctic environment, and
to provide scientific advice on actions to be taken in order to support Arctic governments in their efforts
to take remedial and preventive actions relating to contaminants."
AMAP is responsible for:
"measuring the levels, and assessing the effects of anthropogenic pollutants in all compartments of the
Arctic environment, including humans; documenting trends of pollution; documenting sources and
pathways of pollutants; examining the impact of pollution on Arctic flora and fauna, especially those
used by indigenous people; reporting on the state of the Arctic environment; and giving advice to
Ministers on priority actions needed to improve the Arctic condition."
AMAP has produced a series of high quality scientifically-based assessments of the pollution status of
the Arctic. The AMAP assessment reports (both the popular readable versions and detailed scientific
background documents) are available as electronic documents elsewhere on this website. The AMAP
assessments are the result of cooperative efforts involving a large number of scientists, indigenous
peoples’ representatives, and representatives of the Arctic countries and AMAP observing countries and
organizations. These assessments have provided a basis for development of the Arctic Council Action
Plan (ACAP).
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme is one of five Working Groups of the
Arctic Council.
AMAP reports to the Arctic Council and Ministers through their Senior Arctic Officials
(SAOs).
The work of AMAP is directed by the AMAP Working Group (AMAP WG), which includes
representatives from the following members and observers:
•
Member countries (the eight Arctic rim countries): Canada, Denmark/Greenland,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, United States;
•
Permanent participants (the indigenous peoples organizations): Inuit Circumpolar
Conference (ICC), Saami Council, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the
North (RAIPON), Aleut International Association (AIA);
•
Observing countries: Germany, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom;
•
Observing and cooperating international organizations: Advisory Committee on
Protection of the Sea (ACOPS), European Environment Agency (EEA), International
Arctic Science Committee (IASC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), International Union for
Circumpolar Health (IUCH), Nordic Council of Parliamentarians (NCP), Northern Forum,
OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), Oslo and Paris Commissions (OSPARCOM),
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE), United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organisation (WHO), World
Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Wide Fund for Nature - Arctic Programme
(WWF-AP).
•
AEPS programmes and organizations: Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF),
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR), Protection of the Arctic
Marine Environment (PAME), Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat (IPS), Sustainable
Development Working Group (SDWG).
Monitoring and Assessment
The AMAP is a process integrating both monitoring and assessment activities, in order
to:
•
produce integrated assessment reports on the pollution status and trends of
the conditions of Arctic ecosystems;
•
identify possible causes for changing conditions;
•
detect emerging problems, their possible causes, and the potential risk to
Arctic ecosystems including indigenous peoples and other Arctic residents;
•
recommend actions required to reduce risks to Arctic ecosystems.
To prepare its assessments, AMAP:
•
designed and implemented a coordinated monitoring programme to
monitor the levels of pollutants and assess the effects of pollution in all
compartments of the Arctic environment (the atmospheric, terrestrial,
freshwater and marine environments, and human populations);
•
instituted an assessment process to produce assessment reports.
The AMAP assessments are performed according to agreed guidelines and are based
on: (i) data already published in scientific literature, (ii) data obtained from AMAP’s
monitoring programme, and (iii) traditional knowledge.
AMAP’s Priority Issues
AMAP's priorities include the following contaminant groups and issues:
•
Persistent organic contaminants (POPs)
•
Heavy metals (in particular mercury, cadmium, and lead)
•
Radioactivity
•
Acidification and Arctic haze (in a subregional context)
•
Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution (in a subregional context)
•
Climate change (environmental consequences and biological effects in
the Arctic resulting from global climate change)
•
Stratospheric ozone depletion (biological effects due to increased UV-B,
etc)
•
Effects of pollution on the health of humans living in the Arctic
(including effects of increased UV radiation as a result of ozone
depletion, and climate change)
•
Combined effects of pollutants and other stressors on both ecosystems
and humans