The
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
is one of five Working Groups of the Arctic
Council.
The primary function of AMAP is to advise
the governments of the eight Arctic countries (Canada, Denmark/Greenland,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United
States) on matters relating to threats to the Arctic region
from pollution, and associated issues.
AMAP was originally established in 1991 to implement
parts of the Arctic
Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS). It was requested by
Ministers of the eight Arctic countries to:
"provide reliable and sufficient
information on the status of, and threats to, the Arctic
environment, and to provide 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."
AMAP is responsible for:
"measuring the levels, and assessing
the effects of anthropogenic pollutants in all compartments
of the Arctic environment, including humans; documenting
trends of pollution; documenting sources and pathways of
pollutants; examining the impact of pollution on Arctic
flora and fauna, especially those used by indigenous people;
reporting on the state of the Arctic environment; and giving
advice to Ministers on priority actions needed to improve
the Arctic condition."
AMAP has produced a series of high quality
scientifically-based assessments
of the pollution status of the Arctic. The AMAP assessment
reports (both the popular readable versions and detailed
scientific background documents) are available as electronic
documents elsewhere on this website. The AMAP assessments
are the result of cooperative efforts involving a large
number of scientists, indigenous peoples’ representatives,
and representatives of the Arctic countries and AMAP observing
countries and organizations. These assessments have provided
a basis for development of the Arctic Council Action
Plan (ACAP).
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