Arctic
Environmental Protection Strategy • Arctic Monitoring and
Assessment Programme
The
Arctic
Environmental Protection Strategy
(AEPS)
was established
in 1991 with the objectives to:
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protect the Arctic ecosystems, including humans;
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provide for the protection, enhancement and restoration
of environmental quality and sustainable utilization of
natural resources, including their use by local populations
and indigenous peoples in the Arctic;
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recognize and, to the extent possible, seek to accommodate
the traditional and cultural needs, values and practises
of indigenous peoples as determined by themselves, related
to the protection of the Arctic environment;
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review regularly the state of the Arctic environment; to
identify, reduce and, as a final goal, eliminate pollution.
The
five programmes established under the AEPS are:
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Arctic
Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
. An international organization established to implement
components of the AEPS. AMAP has responsibilities to monitor
the levels of, and assess the effects of, anthropogenic
pollutants in all compartments of the Arctic environment,
including humans. AMAP is now a programme group of the
Arctic Council, and its current objective is "providing
reliable and sufficient information on the status of,
and threats to, the Arctic environment, and providing
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".
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Conservation
of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF).
The Program for the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna,
under the AEPS, was established to address the special
needs of Arctic species and their habitats in the rapidly
developing Arctic region. CAFF has responsibilities to
facilitate the exchange of information and coordination
of research on species and habitats of Arctic flora and
fauna.
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Emergency
Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR).
Established as an experts forum to evaluate the adequacy
of existing arrangements and to recommend the necessary
system of cooperation. Has responsibilities to provide
a framework for future cooperation in responding to the
threat of Arctic environmental emergencies.
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Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME).
Addresses policy and non-emergency response measures related
to protection of the marine environment from land-based
and sea-based activities. PAME has responsibilities to
take preventative and other measures, directly or through
competent international organizations, regarding marine
pollution in the Arctic, irrespective of origin.
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Sustainable
Development. The Working Group on Sustainable Development
(SDWG) was established
by Arctic Ministers in 1998. The objective is to protect
and enhance the economies, culture and health of the inhabitants
of the Arctic, in an environmentally sustainable manner.
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Arctic
Council
The
Arctic
Council was established in 1996 in Ottawa, Canada. A high
level intergovernmental forum, the Council provides a mechanism
to address the common concerns and challenges faced by the Arctic
governments and the people of the Arctic. The members of the
Council are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian
Federation, Sweden, and the United States of America. The main
activities of the Council focus on the protection of the Arctic
environment and sustainable development as a means of improving
the economic, social and cultural well-being of the north. At
the AEPS Ministerial meeting in 1997, the existing working groups
of the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) were
integrated within the Council.
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Barents
Euro-Arctic Council
The
Barents Euro-Arctic
Council (BEAC) is the forum for intergovernmental co-operation
in the Barents Region with seven participants: Denmark, Finland,
Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the European Commission.
Nine other countries are observers: Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, and the USA.
The
BEAC was established in 1993 "to support and promote regional
co-operation in the northernmost parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland
and north-west Russia.
The
BEAC should encourage sustainable economic and social development
in the Barents Region and thus contribute to peaceful development
in the northernmost part of Europe". The activities of
the BEAC have successively expanded to include a number of
working areas. Working groups with representatives from the
countries concerned, have been established to deepen co-operation
on issues relevant to the Barents Region. The working
groups consists of national or regional officials and experts.
Some working groups have also created expert Task Forces.
There are working groups on Economic Co-operation, Energy,
Environment, Exchanges, Health, Northern Sea Route, Transport,
Youth, and Barents rescue. The present priorities of the working
group on environment are energy efficiency, sustainable forestry/forest
management, nature protection/biodiversity conservation, industrial
pollution, cleaner production, integration of environmental
concerns in economic sectors, and strengthening of local actions.
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EU
Northern Dimension
The
Northern Dimension is "the external and cross-border
policies of the European Union covers the Baltic Sea region,
Arctic Sea region and North West Russia. It addresses the specific
challenges of those regions and aims to increase cooperation
between the EU member states, the EU applicant countries and
Russia. The Northern Dimension is implemented within the framework
of the Europe Agreements with the Baltic States, the Partnership
and Cooperation Agreement with Russia and the European Economic
Area regulations. The areas for cooperation under the Northern
Dimension are the environment, nuclear safety, energy cooperation,
Kaliningrad, infrastructure, business cooperation, Justice and
Home Affairs, social development and others. " The Northern
Dimension "aims to intensify cross border cooperation between
the EU and its neighbouring countries and regions in northern
Europe. It aims to create security and stability in the region,
as well as building a safe, clean and accessible environment
for all people in the north".
The
Northern Dimension is a common undertaking of the European
Communities and the EU Member States together with partner
countries. The Commission plays a leading role in implementing
the Action Plan. ... The main regional organisations and IFIs
active in supporting the Northern Dimension are the Council
of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Barents Euro Arctic Council
(BEAC), the Arctic Council (AC), the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD), the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB),
the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO), and the
Nordic Project Fund (NOPEF).
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OSPAR
Convention • OSPAR Commission
The
1992
Convention
on the Protection of the Marine Environment of North-East Atlantic
(including part of the Arctic) — OSPAR Convention —
replaced the 1972 Oslo Convention (pollution by dumping) and
the 1974 Paris Convention (pollution from land-based sources).
The
OSPAR Convention requires that Contracting Parties 'shall take
all possible steps to prevent and eliminate pollution and shall
take the necessary measures to protect the maritime area against
the adverse effects of human activities so as to safeguard human
health and to conserve marine ecosystems and, when practible,
restore marine areas which have been adversely affected.' The
detailed provisions for controlling pollution from different
sources and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity are set out
in the five annexes to the Convention.
The
OSPAR Quality Status Report (OSPAR
QSR) published in 2000 is
the assessment by the OSPAR Commission of the environmental
quality of the North-East Atlantic. The QSR 2000 is based
on five reports (regional QSRs) prepared for the Arctic
Waters, the Greater North Sea, the Celtic Seas, the Bay
of Biscay and Iberian Coast, and the Wider Atlantic.
The
OSPAR Commission
is the Executive body of the Convention. At the 1998 Ministerial
Meeting the Sintra
Statement was adopted. It sets out the political impetus
for future action by the Commission and includes a section
related to the environmental impacts of shipping. The OSPAR
countries are to co-operate, especially in the work of the
International Maritime Organization, to tackle threats to
the marine environment from shipping through promoting better
waste reception facilities and their more effective use including
harmonised arrangements to remove economic, administrative
or organisational incentives for ships not to use port waste
reception facilities and through measures to eliminate marine
litter.
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Agreements