AMAP CAFF Coordinated Monitoring Effort Status Report, Narvik, Norway, 2007

In order to support science-based policy and decision-making for the sustainable use and conservation of the Arctic’s living resources it is necessary to conduct sustained monitoring of key environmental variables. From it’s beginning, the Arctic Council has identified monitoring as a key activity, coupled with assessments that address issues of importance to the Council. Two of the Working Groups of the Arctic Council have a monitoring mandate, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) and the group on Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). AMAP’s monitoring program is based on ongoing national and international monitoring activities. These are harmonized to the meet AMAP specifications for implementing a coordinated circumpolar monitoring program that is capable of delivering the data to meet AMAP’s assessment needs. CAFF’s monitoring is implemented through the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP).

The purpose of this paper, is to further explore how AMAP and CAFF can look for opportunities to coordinate their monitoring programs to further strengthen our understanding of the processes driving change across the Arctic and the effects of these changes on Arctic ecosystems, and to identify possible actions to compensate for, or reverse the effects of these changes, with sustainability and sustainable use of Arctic ecosystems as the ultimate goals. The main part of the AMAP – CAFF Coordinated Monitoring will be implemented through National Programs that fulfill AMAP and CAFF needs.