AMAP Study Led by Roland Kallenborn Highlights Local Arctic Pollution Sources
AMAP research, led by UArctic Chair Roland Kallenborn, reveal that local infrastructure plays a major role in Arctic contamination. The review urges stronger policies and cooperation
Since the early 1990s, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), Arctic Council working group, has monitored anthropogenic pollutants across the Arctic, including human exposure. The AMAP Expert Group on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) recently compiled a series of critical review articles addressing various aspects of local Arctic pollution sources. These papers are published consecutively as a special issue in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Environmental Science: Advances.
As part of this initiative, a comprehensive review on domestic and military infrastructures as local Arctic pollution sources was recently published, with UArctic Chair Roland Kallenborn serving as coordinating author. The review consolidates information from 21 contributing authors and represents the first circum-Arctic compilation of this type. All reviews in the dedicated ES-A special issue are open access and can be found through this link.
Based on currently available scientific data, elevated levels of POPs and CEACs are predominantly found in close proximity to these local sources. The study also revealed numerous knowledge gaps. To address these, the authors recommend focusing future research on:
- Identifying and integrating local indicator pollutants into ongoing national monitoring programs.
- Developing methods to harmonize emission reduction policies and licensing of industrial activities in the Arctic to minimize exposure risks and environmental impacts.
- Encouraging coordination among municipalities, industries, and stakeholders to reduce pollutant emissions.