DeskEnvironmentArctic Council’s EPPR Working Group released a new ten‑minute video educating small Arctic communities on oil‑spill risks, impacts and response actions, part of a three‑video preparedness series.
The Arctic Council and IMO collaborate through the PAME working group and the Arctic Shipping Best Practice Information Forum to promote the implementation of the Polar Code, enhancing safety, security, and environmental protection for Arctic shipping.
AMAP’s new Expert Group on Litter and Microplastics is developing the first Arctic‑wide monitoring plan covering 11 ecosystem compartments, from air to seabed, to assess plastic pollution and support policy and assessment.
The first virtual Senior Arctic Officials plenary brought 170 delegates together to discuss green energy, youth participation, marine litter action plans, and preview Russia’s chairmanship priorities.
The Icelandic‑chaired virtual Senior Arctic Officials meeting on 17‑19 Nov 2020 focused on climate, green energy, marine stewardship, and COVID‑19, while preparing for the 25th‑anniversary ministerial and the Russian chairmanship.
The article outlines how applying best technology and environmental practices in Arctic oil and gas can cut black carbon and methane emissions, offering climate and economic benefits.
The 2018 International Agreement to Prevent Unregulated Fishing in the High Seas of the Central Arctic Ocean bans commercial fishing until scientific data is available, protecting the emerging ecosystem as ice retreats.
A 2020 study highlights how Indigenous peoples' management of Arctic wetlands supports biodiversity and food security, noting gaps in representation and offering policy recommendations.
Arctic Contaminants Action Program convened experts to assess mercury pollution, its combined effects with other contaminants, and coordinate actions under the Minamata Convention.
The Arctic Council’s PAME released its 2019 Shipping Status Report, noting that 10% of Arctic vessels used heavy fuel oil, which can harm marine environments, amid an 82% rise in fuel consumption from 2016 to 2019.
Inuit Circumpolar Council leader Jim Stotts shared how Inuit communities view marine biodiversity and climate change, urging the Arctic Council to revise its Marine Strategic Plan to include COVID‑19 impacts, Indigenous participation, pollution, and shifting species patterns.
The Arctic Council launched a new Senior Arctic Officials Marine Mechanism and a four‑week webinar series to unite Arctic States, Indigenous participants and experts, aiming to improve marine stewardship and sustainable shipping.
Arctic Council initiatives are building shared wildfire management language, drawing on Indigenous practices and cross‑border cooperation to address growing fire risks.
Since 2017, the World Meteorological Organization has served as an Observer to the Arctic Council, engaging in AMAP and PAME to improve polar climate data, maritime safety, and support Arctic shipping and emergency response.
Miners seeking battery metals are threatening the Sámi reindeer herders’ homeland.
ACAP study shows that adopting best available technology and best environmental practices for associated petroleum gas flaring in the Russian Arctic could cut short‑lived climate pollutant emissions from 25 to 7 Mt CO₂‑eq by 2025, while boosting economic gains.
The Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group promotes a One Health approach that links human, animal, and environmental wellbeing, emphasizing Indigenous knowledge to address climate‑driven health risks.
Northern Siberia faces a red alert as intense heat shocks threaten the life of its tundra ecosystems.
The Arctic Council’s EPPR released a web‑based guideline that incorporates unique Arctic risk factors such as sea ice and extreme weather, aiming to standardize marine risk assessments for governments, NGOs, and shipping companies.
A 2019 Arctic Council workshop produced a report and recommendations that are shaping the Arctic Regional Action Plan on marine litter, with monitoring, community engagement, and industry outreach underway.
A GPS‑equipped capsule launched off Iceland in 2019 tracked 7,000 km over 207 days, proving marine litter can travel between Arctic and non‑Arctic waters and feeding a regional policy plan.
The International Maritime Organization, as an Observer in the Arctic Council, is expanding its Polar Code and collaborating on safety, environmental, and climate initiatives to support secure sustainable shipping in polar waters.
The International Arctic Science Committee, as an observer to the Arctic Council, describes its long‑standing role in contributing scientific expertise, facilitating research cooperation, and engaging with council working groups on pressing Arctic issues.
Since gaining observer status in 2013, Italy has leveraged its scientific expertise and funding initiatives to actively contribute to Arctic Council work, supporting research, indigenous interests, and sustainable development.
Arctic Council appoints Magnús Jóhannesson as Special Coordinator on Plastics, outlining ongoing projects, a planned regional action plan, and an upcoming Icelandic symposium to address plastic pollution.
