Arctic environment: European perspectives - Why should

4,55

MB

Europe care?

60

stron

3470

ID

European Commission

2004

rok

Contents

List of contributors 3

Foreword 7

Executive summary 8

1The Arctic indigenous peoples 10

1.1Actions and policies — giving indigenous peoples stewardship 12

2The Arctic natural environment 13

2.1Unique nature — adaptation to cold 13

2.2Links between life on land and at sea 15

2.3Threats to species and ecosystems 15

2.4Recent progress in conservation 16

3Human use of Arctic resources 19

3.1Europe's use of the Arctic 19

3.2Fishing in the Arctic 19

3.2.1Europe’s fishing nations and communities 20

3.2.2Trends in Arctic fish resources 21

3.2.3Actions and policies — the role of international fishing agreements 23

3.3Forests and forestry 23

3.3.1Threats to forests 26

3.3.2Actions and policies — forestry 26

3.4Other renewable resources: freshwater 26

3.5Non-renewable resources: oil and gas 27

3.5.1Oil and gas in north Russia 27

3.5.2Actions and policies — circumpolar cooperation needed to combat oil pollution 29

3.6Mining for other minerals 30

3.7Impacts of piecemeal infrastructure development 30

4Pollution in the Arctic 33

4.1Air, oceans and rivers link Europe to the Arctic 33

4.2Human and animal health 35

4.3Decreasing emissions of some metals 37

4.4Mercury an increasing threat 38

4.5New chemicals appearing 38

4.6Widespread pesticide contamination 39

4.7Food is a pathway for human exposure 40

4.8European radioactivity in the Arctic 40

4.9Threat of nuclear material 41

4.10Increasing transport of oil 42

6 Arctic environment: European perspectives

4.11Actions and policies — Arctic countries working together 42

4.12International agreements 43

4.13Importance of European actions and policies 43

4.14Europe's engagement in Arctic issues 44

5The climate is changing the Arctic 45

5.1Particularly sensitive to climate change 45

5.2Arctic and European currents strongly linked 46

5.3Impacts on Arctic indigenous people 48

5.4Arctic animals and plants threatened 48

5.5Climate change affects contamination 49

5.6Climate change in the Arctic 49

5.7Actions and policies 50

5.7.1Arctic countries are developing policy through the Arctic Council 50

5.7.2International actions are underway to curb climate change 50

6International cooperation: the Arctic Council and the second northern dimension action plan

2004–2006 52

6.1Actions and policies — strengthening institutions and capacity 53

7Conclusion 54

8References 55