Arctic Council Working Group Recommendations
| Project | Type | # | Outcome | Report | Year | FEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW) | Key finding | Participation by indigenous and local communities in decision making, restoration and stewardship of Arctic wetlands is widely considered to be a crucial ingredient for success. | Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands Phase 2 Report | 2021 | ||
| Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW) | Recommendation | 3 | Initiate collaboration between Arctic states, Indigenous Peoples organisations and relevant stakeholders to harmonize how climate and biodiversity benefits reached through wetland management and restoration efforts are reported to international conventions on climate mitigation and biodiversity. | Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations | 2021 | |
| Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW) | Recommendation | 19 | Support national and international evaluation and coordination of wetland inventory, research and monitoring programs as well as encouraging and strengthening interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary wetland research, Indigenous Knowledge, and citizen science within Arctic research networks. | Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations | 2021 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 1.1 | Arctic ecosystem services: Featuring ecosystem services in policy development and implementation is needed to help define and balance societal needs and priorities in the rapidly changing Arctic policy landscape. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 4.2 | Valuing Arctic ecosystem services: Key Finding 4.2. Any effective, equitable and sustainable policy must account for a diversity of perspectives and encompass a diversity of value systems. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring | Key finding | Most European populations are increasing or stable, yet several populations lack effective count coordination networks to generate annual assessments of total population size and trends. | A Global Audit of the Status and Trends of Arctic And Northern Hemisphere Goose Populations | 2018 | ||
| CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring | Key finding | All countries have data sets that allow for identification of baseline levels for most FECs, but only a few countries (such as Finland and Sweden) have an extensive spatial coverage and very few countries have long time series. Data collection was not exhaustive, and there are likely additional data that exist for each country that may contribute to the assessment of freshwater biodiversity; however, significant gaps will remain even with a more extensive search of existing data sources. | State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring | 2016 | ||
| CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring | Key finding | Increases in the frequency of contagious diseases are being observed | State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring | 2017 | ||
| CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring | Key finding | Changes in culturally important food resources have implications on the food security and cultures of Indigenous Peoples and Arctic residents. | State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring | 2021 | ||
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Key finding | 1 | Unique Arctic habitats for flora and fauna, including sea ice, tundra, thermokarst ponds and lakes, and permafrost peatlands have been disappearing over recent decades. | Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010 – Selected indicators of change | 2010 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Advice | 7 | Monitoring species of high conservation concern – Leach’s storm-petrels should be monitored where possible for potential effects of plastic pollution. | Plastic Pollution in Seabirds: Developing a program to monitor plastic pollution in seabirds in the pan-Arctic region | 2021 | |
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | 1.7 | Reduce the negative impact of commercial fisheries on adult survival. 1.7.1. (Connected to 1.5.1.) Address how to develop sustainable commercial fisheries considering the added effects of rapid ecosystem changes due to climate change. 1.7.2. Ensure that the management of commercial fisheries on key prey species as well as key ecosystem components is based on best available knowledge and a precautionary approach. 1.7.3. Assess and reduce bycatch in commercial fishing activities, in possible collaboration with AMBI. | International Black-legged Kittiwake - Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 2021 | ||
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | 4.4 | Increase knowledge about the colonies in the Arctic. 4.4.1. Finalize an overview of the location of all breeding colonies in the Arctic. 4.4.2. Identify important areas and generate sensitivity maps around the Arctic. | International Black-legged Kittiwake - Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 2021 | ||
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | Action | 4.6 | Research and monitoring: 20. Develop comprehensive research agendas for each species, 21. Estimate population size, productivity, survivorship, and movements for each major eider populations , 22. Study effects of contaminants on eiders, 23. Develop monitoring plans for eiders | Circumpolar Eider Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 1997 | |
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | Action | 4.2 | Collaboration and cooperation: 5. Encourage and assist the development and implementation of national murre conservation plans. 6. Coordinate initiatives among circumpolar countries to address shared murre conservation issues. 7. Ensure the involvement of other jurisdictions and groups necessary to effectively implement this action plan. | International Murre Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 1996 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Action | 3 | Ensure Indigenous Knowledge is incorporated into white geese impacts research and mitigation measures 3.1 Continue to include Indigenous Knowledge in future work through co-development of management priorities for western geese. | AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: Americas Flyway | 2021 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Recommendation | 2 | Incorporate resilience and adaptation of biodiversity to climate change into plans for development in the Arctic. | Arctic Biodiversity Assessment: Report for Policy Makers | 2013 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Action | A | Implementation plan for ABA recommendations (Actions for Arctic Biodiversity). a. Prepare, track, and update biennially the plan. b. Review and update actions in plan by all Working Groups and Task Forces related to ABA recommendations. c. Evaluate progress on implementing the ABA recommendations and produce recommendations for follow-up work. d. Encourage states to develop national implementation plans consistent with this implementation plan for the ABA recommendations as an essential adaptation measure. | Actions for Arctic Biodiversity, 2013-2021: Implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment | 2015 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Action | 14 | Recognize the value of traditional ecological knowledge and work to further integrate it into the assessment, planning and management of Arctic biodiversity. This includes involving Arctic peoples and their knowledge in the survey, monitoring and analysis of Arctic biodiversity. 14.1. Develop recommendations for the integration of traditional and local knowledge intothe work of the Arctic Council. 14.2. Complete traditional knowledge component of the ABA by preparing a report on traditional knowledge on biodiversity change in the North American Arctic. 14.3. Prepare a report on lessons learned on the inclusion of traditional knowledge in CAFF. 14.4. Improve understanding of biodiversity change. a. Explore the potential of developing a case study centred on walrus to demonstrate the use of an Inuit food security lens and ecosystem approach. The project would focus on walrus and bring together representatives of AMAP, SDWG, CAFF and Traditional Knowledge holders to look at indicators that cross over social and natural systems, paints a holistic picture and brings together discussion on biotic and abiotic systems. b. Explore the development of the Salmon Peoples project. 14.5. Develop the community observation network for adaptation and security (CONAS) to increase the contribution of community-based monitoring and knowledge from Arctic peoples to existing knowledge. 14.6. Work to develop methods and techniques to survey the use of the Arctic marine ecosystem by Indigenous peoples to better assess the impact of shipping (Survey of Arctic Indigenous Marine Use AMSA IIA). 14.7. Seek ways to enhance the integration of traditional and local knowledge, including follow-up to the recommendations from the Iqaluit Declaration (Action 14.1), and encourage co-production of knowledge methodologies. | Actions for Arctic Biodiversity, 2013-2021: Implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment | 2015 | |
| Advice | Expand both the marine and terrestrial protected areas network and monitor its effectiveness at safeguarding biodiversity. | Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report | 2014 |