Four of the Arctic Council's six Working Groups to meet in Tromsø
In the week of 14-18 September, an unprecedented gathering of four of the Arctic Council’s six Working Groups will be taking place in Tromsø, Norway. Working Group delegates from the Arctic States and indigenous Permanent Participant organizations, as well as accredited Observers to the Arctic Council, will be coming together to discuss the work of ACAP (Arctic Contaminants Action Program), AMAP (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme), CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna) and PAME (Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment). While the four Working Groups will meet in parallel for much of the week, all four will come together for a session on Wednesday to discuss cross-cutting issues. The Chair of Senior Arctic Officials, Amb. David Balton, will take part in the joint meeting on Wednesday, including offering welcoming remarks.
About ACAP
The objective of ACAP is to prevent adverse effects from, reduce, and ultimately eliminate pollution of the Arctic environment. ACAP addresses Arctic pollution sources and acts as a strengthening and supporting mechanism to encourage national actions to reduce emissions and other releases of pollutants that are relevant in the Arctic.
About AMAP
AMAP’s mandate is to monitor and assess the status of the Arctic region with respect to pollution and climate change, documenting levels and trends, pathways and processes, and effects on ecosystems and humans. AMAP provides reliable science-based information on the status of, and threats to, the Arctic environment, and scientific advice to support Arctic governments in their efforts to reduce adverse effects of contaminants and climate change.
About CAFF
CAFF is the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council. Its mandate is to address the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity, and to communicate its findings to the governments and residents of the Arctic, helping to promote practices that ensure the sustainability of the Arctic’s living resources. It does so through various monitoring, assessment and expert group activities.
About PAME
PAME is the focal point of the Arctic Council’s activities related to the protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment. PAME’s activities are based on its mandate to address policy and other measures related to the protection of the Arctic marine and coastal environment from both land and sea-based activities. These measures include coordinated strategic plans as well as developing programs, assessments and guidelines, all of which aim to complement or supplement existing international arrangements.
