Background
The Barrow Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in October 2000, endorsed, adopted, and established the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), requesting it to "evaluate and synthesize knowledge on climate variability and change and increased ultraviolet radiation, and support policy-making processes and the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); further request that the assessment address environmental, human health, social, cultural and economic impacts and consequences, including policy recommendations."
Since then, a team of more than 300 leading Arctic researchers, indigenous representatives and other experts from fifteen nations has completed its work on the ACIA. They have distilled and synthesised available scientific information, traditional knowledge, and indigenous perceptions in order to examine how climate and ultraviolet radiation have changed in the Arctic, how they are projected to change in the future, and what the consequences of these changes will be for the Arctic and the world. The full assessment is published in a comprehensive science report and synthesised in an overview document "Impacts of a Warming Arctic", designed to be accessible to the lay person and the policy maker. The documents have been reviewed by more that 160 independent scientists and experts and made available to national reviews. Comments were taken into account by authors, who assume responsibility for the final document.
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) participated in the ACIA Steering Committee. AMAP and CAFF were the conveners of a drafting group of representatives from Arctic Council Member States and Permanent Participants, that produced early drafts of recommendations to relate the findings from ACIA to the policy needs of the Arctic Council. SAOs (Senior Arctic Officials) then assumed responsibility for the drafting of these policy recommendations.
The assessment's findings and projections were released and presented in detail at a scientific symposium in Reykjavik, Iceland, November 9-12, 2004.
The ACIA is the world's most comprehensive and detailed regional climatic and ultraviolet radiation assessment to date and documents impacts that are already felt throughout the Arctic region. Climate change, together with other stressors such as ultraviolet radiation, presents a range of challenges for human health, culture and well-being of Arctic residents, including indigenous peoples and communities, as well as risks to Arctic species and ecosystems.
The authors of the overview document of the ACIA identified the following ten key findings:
- The Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger changes are projected.
- Arctic warming and its consequences have worldwide implications.
- Arctic vegetation zones are projected to shift, bringing wide-ranging impacts.
- Animal species' diversity, ranges, and distribution will change.
- Many coastal communities and facilities face increasing exposure to storms.
- Reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine transport and access to resources.
- Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure.
- Indigenous communities are facing major economic and cultural impacts.
- Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect people, plants, and animals.
- Multiple influences interact to cause impacts to people and ecosystems.
Such findings, as well as the underlying scientific assessment, are helping inform governments as they implement and consider future policies on global climate change.