Microplastics
- Projects/Research by the Arctic Council Working Groups
- AMAP Assessment 2018: Biological Effects of Contaminants on Arctic Wildlife and Fish Key Messages: https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2173
- Desktop Study on Marine Litter including Microplastics in the Arctic: https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2389
- Plastics and Seabirds: Habitat mitigation (CAFF): https://www.caff.is/arctic-migratory-birds-initiative-ambi/circumpolar-flyway/plastic
- Regional Action Plan by PAME: https://pame.is/projects/arctic-marine-pollution/regional-action-plan-on-marine-litter
- International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – Provides recommendations to governments, industries, local communities, and civil society to design mitigation solutions.
- NOAA Marine Debris Program – Provides different resources, information, and opportunities regarding marine debris and how people can help.
- Beat the Microbead – Raises awareness about all kind of microplastics used in cosmetics and personal care products
Mercury:
- Global Mercury Assessment 2018 – Here is the UN Environmental Programme’s global assessment of mercury from 2018. It includes great information, even for the people unfamiliar with the scientific jargon of environmental monitoring.
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) – AMAP is a great resource to go to to learn more about how Mercury and other pollutants effect arctic communities specifically. Here is the link to just information on mercury.
- International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) – This is a group of over 500 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from 120 countries committed to a pollution-free future. Here is a specific link to their information on Mercury.
- Minamata Convention – Here is the website for the Minamata Convention. It includes a lot of information about what is being done to fight Mercury pollution around the world and how to get involved.
- UN Environment Programme – The UN Environment Programme has a ton of great resources that describe how even individuals can contribute to a cleaner future.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs):
- Arctic Contaminants Action Program – Learn more about an Arctic Council working group tackling the problem of POPs and mercury in the Arctic environment. The goal of the group, formed in 2006, is to detect and reduce the release of both POPs and mercury into the environment.
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants – A foundational document that addressed POPs in an international arena in 2001. Thanks to this Convention, concentrations of certain pollutants have declined, but there is still a lot of work to do.
- The problems won’t go away: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Arctic– A fantastic summary article with a particularly useful section on the history of the progress that’s been made on this issue.
- Northern Lights Against POPs: Combatting Toxic Threats in the Arctic – Written by a wide variety representatives from the Arctic Council, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Universities, Ministeries, and the UN this book tells the story of POPs in the Arctic from the perspective of indigenous people.
Black Carbon:
- Copenhagen Consensus on Climate– Great document summarizing the science behind Black Carbon, the community aspect of Black Carbon pollution, and how individual states can work to introduce mitigation strategies.
- Climate and Clean Air Coalition- Background information and statistics on Black Carbon aerosols, accompanied by easy-to-understand figures depicting the importance of Black Carbon mitigation.
- Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions: An Arctic Council Framework for Action– The original Arctic Council Framework for long term action regarding Black Carbon mitigation strategies.
- Black Carbon: Short Lived Climate Pollutants Hold a Ket to Climate Change– Excellent book discussing the importance of Black Carbon mitigation in global environmental policy, and the necessity of Black Carbon reductions in order to effectively combat climate change.