Air Pollution's Arctic Impact: A Worrying Reality

Air pollution is having a devastating impact on the Arctic, threatening the health and cultural identities of local communities and wildlife. The Arctic is warming faster than any other region on Earth, with its average temperature rising at almost four times the global average. This warming is caused in part by the diminishing sea ice, which usually reflects sunlight away from the Earth. As the ice melts, more heat is absorbed by the ocean, causing further warming. This is having a knock-on effect on the wildlife in the region, with species such as narwhals, polar bears and walruses being put at risk.

The Arctic is affected by both local and long-range sources of air pollution. Local sources include shipping, petroleum extraction, and wood combustion, while mid-latitude sources include anthropogenic emissions from Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as boreal and agricultural fires. These pollutants are transported to the Arctic by wind and ocean currents, where they are trapped in the cold temperatures and ice-bound environment, degrading slowly.

The effects of air pollution in the Arctic are wide-ranging. Pollutants such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals, leading to health issues such as reproductive problems and a weakened immune system. The Indigenous people of the Arctic who hunt these animals are also exposed to high levels of toxins, which can affect human development and hormone function.

In addition to chemical pollution, plastic pollution is also a significant issue in the Arctic. The world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic every year, with 40% of this being for single-use items. As a result, 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans annually, with much of it making its way to the Arctic. Microplastics, in particular, are a concern, as they are easily consumed or inhaled by sea creatures, entering the food chain.

Addressing Arctic pollution will require a combination of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local initiatives to mitigate the impact of human activities in the region.

Air pollution is trapped under a temperature inversion, causing poor air quality and health issues

Temperature inversions occur when a layer of warm air prevents cold air from rising, trapping it underneath. This inversion of the usual air temperature gradient can cause air pollution by creating conditions that allow smog to form and persist. This is particularly common in cities surrounded by mountains, where temperature inversions can trap pollution in valleys, resulting in poor air quality and health risks for residents.

The Arctic is subject to these temperature inversions, which trap pollution from local sources as well as that transported over long distances via rivers, oceans, and the air. The cold temperatures and ice-bound environment of the Arctic trap toxins in the ground, air, water, and ice, where they degrade slowly. During the summer melt, these toxins are washed into the sea and rivers, affecting both the environment and human health.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, are among the main contaminants in the Arctic region. These toxic materials bioaccumulate in the food chain, passing from planktonic microorganisms to fish and then on to larger wildlife, such as polar bears, seals, and whales. As a result, indigenous people who hunt these animals as part of their traditional diet are exposed to high levels of contaminants, which can have detrimental effects on human development, reproduction, hormone function, and the immune system.

In addition to chemical pollution, the Arctic also faces the threat of plastic pollution. The region is seeing an increase in plastic litter, much of which is discarded fishing gear, but also includes household litter, food wrapping, and bottles originating from across Europe and beyond. Microplastics, in particular, have been a growing concern, with high concentrations found in Arctic sea ice. These tiny plastic pieces, measuring less than 5mm, are easily consumed or inhaled by sea creatures, entering the food chain and potentially impacting human health.

To address these issues, several Arctic Council Working Groups are closely monitoring and addressing the impacts of pollutants and contaminants. Their efforts have contributed to both national actions and international conventions aimed at mitigating the effects of pollution in the Arctic and protecting the health and well-being of its inhabitants, both human and wildlife.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are transported over long distances, impacting human health and the environment

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They are toxic and adversely affect human health and the environment around the world. POPs are transported over long distances via wind and water, meaning that they can impact people and wildlife far from where they are used and released.

POPs are hazardous chemicals that can have a range of negative effects on both human health and the environment. They are resistant to degradation and can persist in the environment for long periods of time. POPs can accumulate in living organisms through the food chain, with particularly high concentrations in organisms higher up the food chain, such as whales. They can also be transported over long distances and deposited in areas far from their source, such as the Arctic.

The impact of POPs on human health can include reproductive, developmental, behavioural, neurologic, endocrine, and immunologic adverse effects. People are mainly exposed to POPs through contaminated food, water, and direct contact with the chemicals. Certain populations, such as those who consume large amounts of fish or shellfish, may be at higher risk of exposure.

The environmental impact of POPs includes bioaccumulation in ecosystems and long-range transport. POPs can accumulate in fatty tissues of living organisms and become more concentrated as they move up the food chain, a process known as biomagnification. This can result in high concentrations of POPs in top predators such as polar bears, seals, and whales. POPs can also be transported over long distances, leading to environmental contamination in areas far from their source.

The Arctic is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of POPs due to its remote location and fragile ecosystem. POPs can be transported to the Arctic via wind and ocean currents, where they persist in the environment due to cold temperatures and ice-bound conditions. This contamination has serious implications for the environment and human health in the Arctic, with indigenous people who consume traditional diets of large predators being exposed to high levels of toxins.

To address the global issue of POPs, the international community came together during the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001. The convention aims to reduce or eliminate the production, use, and release of POPs to protect human health and the environment. As of 2022, 185 countries have ratified the convention, and it continues to play a crucial role in addressing the impacts of POPs.

Black carbon and methane are short-lived climate pollutants contributing to warming and air pollution

Black carbon and methane are short-lived climate pollutants that are contributing to atmospheric warming and air pollution, which in turn harms human health. Black carbon that falls on snow and ice accelerates the melting of these reflective surfaces, consequently accelerating the impacts of global warming in the Arctic.

Black carbon is the result of incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels. Its major anthropogenic sources are biomass and fossil fuel burning for heat and cooking, transportation (diesel and gasoline vehicles without new filtration systems), and agricultural open burning. Wildfires also produce large amounts of black carbon. Black carbon has a short atmospheric lifetime, usually a few days to weeks, so its effects are strongly regional.

Methane is a well-mixed greenhouse gas, which means that reducing global sources will benefit the Arctic. It exerts a much stronger warming effect on the atmosphere than CO2, but has a much shorter lifetime in the atmosphere; 12 years compared to 100 years. Therefore, reductions in methane, whether from Arctic or non-Arctic states, can mitigate near-term warming of the Arctic.

Methane emissions are generated primarily by agriculture, including from farming rice and ruminant livestock (methane is produced by bacteria in their stomachs), natural gas and petroleum systems, and waste disposal in landfills. It also has natural sources like wetlands.

The United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization estimate that specific reductions in methane and black carbon-emitting activities could save 2.4 million lives in the year 2030 alone.

Microplastics are consumed by sea creatures, entering the food chain and affecting wildlife

Microplastics are small plastic pieces that are less than 5mm in size, formed by the breakdown of larger plastic pieces or from microbeads in cosmetics and cleaning products. They are easily consumed or inhaled by sea creatures, entering the food chain and affecting wildlife.

Microplastics have been found in the stomachs of several species of Arctic wildlife, including birds, fish, and mammals. Birds, such as the northern fulmar, have been found with significant amounts of microplastics in their stomachs, with researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute noting an increase in the amount of microplastic in their stomachs between the 1970s and 2013. Microplastics have also been found in the stomachs of polar fish species, blue mussels, snow crabs, and deep-sea starfish.

The impact of microplastics on wildlife is a growing concern, as it can lead to malnutrition, internal injury, obstruction of the intestinal tract, and even death. The effects of microplastics on wildlife in the Arctic are still being studied, but laboratory studies have shown that microplastics can pass through cell walls and may have harmful effects on organisms.

The sources of microplastics in the Arctic are both local and distant. Local sources include fisheries, landfills, wastewater, and offshore industrial activity, while distant sources include ocean currents, atmospheric transport, and rivers carrying plastic pollution from lower latitudes. The Arctic Ocean, despite only containing about 1% of the global ocean volume, receives more than 10% of the global river discharge, making it a significant pathway for plastic pollution.

The presence of microplastics in the Arctic is a growing concern, as it affects both the environment and human health. With the Arctic already facing the impacts of climate change, the addition of microplastics poses a further threat to the region's fragile ecosystems and the people who depend on them for food and culture.

Pollutants are transported to the Arctic by ocean currents, affecting marine ecosystems

The Arctic Ocean acts as a reservoir for industrial and agricultural chemicals from across the world, which are transported there by ocean currents. These ocean currents have a profound impact on marine life, redistributing both heat and nutrients. As the chemicals reach the Arctic, the cold temperatures trap the toxics in the ground, air, water, and ice, where they degrade slowly. In the summer, when the ice melts, the toxins are washed into the sea and rivers.

The main contaminants in the Arctic are heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, PCBs, and dioxins. These toxic materials bioaccumulate in the food chain, passing from planktonic microorganisms to fish, and then on to larger wildlife. Animals at the top of the food chain, such as polar bears, seals, and whales, store more and more toxins in their fatty tissue and organs. This has a detrimental impact on the Indigenous people living in the Arctic region who hunt these large predators as part of their traditional diet.

In addition to chemical pollution, plastic pollution is also a significant issue affecting the Arctic marine environment. The world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic every year, with 40% of this being for single-use items. As a result, 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans annually. In the Arctic, much of the plastic pollution is discarded fishing gear, but household litter, food wrapping, and bottles have also been discovered, originating from across Europe and beyond.

Microplastics, which are pieces of plastic less than 5mm in size, are also a growing concern in the Arctic. These can form from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic or from microbeads found in cosmetics and cleaning products. Microplastics generally float, so they are often present in the part of the ocean that freezes to form sea ice. As a result, there can be high concentrations of microplastics in Arctic sea ice, with up to 200 pieces per litre. Due to their size, microplastics are easily consumed or inhaled by sea creatures, allowing them to enter the food chain.

The impact of plastic pollution on Arctic wildlife is well documented. For example, researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute found a significant increase in the amount of microplastic in the stomachs of a species of seabird called the northern fulmar between the 1970s and 2013.

While most regions of the Arctic are far removed from large industrialised areas, the environment carries the traces of human-induced pollution. Pollutants such as soot, plastics, methane, and pesticides are transported over long distances, reaching the Arctic via rivers, oceans, and the air. These pollutants have far-reaching negative impacts on the environment and human health.

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