Recommendations

Project	Type	#	Outcome	Report	Year
Arctic TEEB	Key finding	3.8	Governance: Key Finding 3.8. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines economic and sociocultural analyses to the benefits people receive from Arctic nature faces a number of challenges and concerns. However, it also offers a complementary approach for communicating to decision makers the importance of nature to people, and a toolkit for evaluating policy options and integrating stewardship into decisions.	The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary	2015
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding		Most populations showed increasing or stable trends over the last 10 years, but our ability to truly judge these trends is highly variable among populations.	A Global Audit of the Status and Trends of Arctic And Northern Hemisphere Goose Populations	2018
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding		Temperature is the overriding and predominant driver for most FECs, but climate, geographical connectivity, geology, and smaller-scale environmental parameters such as water chemistry are all key drivers of Arctic freshwater biodiversity.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding		Current trends indicate that species reliant on sea ice for reproduction, resting or foraging will experience range reductions as sea ice retreat occurs earlier and the open water season is prolonged.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding		Although some trends have been observed, natural variability in Arctic terrestrial environments and large information gaps make it difficult to assess and summarize global trends for Arctic terrestrial biodiversity.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA)	Recommendation	3	Make more effective use of local and traditional knowledge in Arctic Council assessments and, more broadly, in ecological management. We need the best available knowledge to detect and respond to rapid Arctic ecosystem change. Local and traditional knowledge sources, by their nature, bring a depth of knowledge and understanding of ecosystems, as well as early warnings of change, that complement science-based studies. However, these knowledge sources are generally underutilized in assessment and management except at the scale of the knowledge holders	Life Linked to Ice: A guide to sea-ice-associated biodiversity in this time of rapid change	2013
Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI)	Advice	5	Monitoring microplastics and plastic-associated contaminants: Northern fulmars, thick-billed murres, black-legged kittiwakes and common eiders should be monitored for microplastics and plastic-associated contaminants.	Plastic Pollution in Seabirds: Developing a program to monitor plastic pollution in seabirds in the pan-Arctic region	2021
CBird: Seabird Expert Group		1.5	Improve the understanding of large-scale ecosystem effects of climate change by using the kittiwakeas a model species.1.5.1 Improve the understanding of the ecosystem effects of fisheries interactions and how to adjust maximum sustainable yields in terms of climate-induced changes in the food web that leads to insufficient food supply for adults.	International Black-legged Kittiwake - Conservation Strategy and Action Plan	2021
CBird: Seabird Expert Group		4.2	Improvement of knowledge on limiting demographic factors. 4.2.1. Develop a comprehensive research agenda for each population specifying what information is most needed, how it will be used, and which countries will be involved. Relate this to the Circumpolar Seabird Monitoring Plan and evaluate if necessary. 4.2.2. For each major kittiwake breeding population, estimate population size, productivity, adult survival rates, and identify migration routes and wintering grounds. Also investigate survival rates and distribution of the immature birds. 4.2.3 Investigate the breeding success and population estimates for a larger proportion of the circumpolar population. 4.2.4. Investigate the genetic structures in the different populations. 4.2.5. Implement the Circumpolar Seabird Monitoring Plan (CBird 2015) throughout the circumpolar Arctic.	International Black-legged Kittiwake - Conservation Strategy and Action Plan	2021
Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Arctic Mining	Advice		Agreement on data (e.g. cultural and ecological indicators of change) collection, management, and sharing of information. Baseline data and other information about the status and health of plants, animals and ecosystems in and around mine sites are important for the mining industry, communities, government agencies and CAFF. An important challenge is to ensure that data generated by the mining industry are accessible in a form that can inform broader understandings of Arctic biodiversity status and trends. Government agencies could: Agree to participate in collaborative processes to identify and use common indicators that capture thecultural, social, and economic impacts of mining. Provide data to a common repository where data could be available to be shared. Mining industry could: Agree to participate in collaborative processes to identify and use common indicators that capture the cultural, social, and economic impacts of mining. Provide data to a common repository where it could be available to be shared. CAFF could: Provide a common repository to make relevant data about the status and health of plants, animals and ecosystems in the Arctic available for other uses (Box 8). Work in cooperation with others to help develop common methodologies for data collection, analysis, management and reporting by the mining industry. Collect and share good practices for data collection and sharing. Work to ensure data provided to the CAFF is compatible with agency-mandated data collection or other standards where appropriate. Help to develop indicators that capture the relevant cultural, social and economic impacts of mining. Encourage and provide assistance for national and industry adoption of CAFF monitoring plans and indicators as minimum standards for the Arctic. Help to develop relevant/common questions that could be asked of mining activities across the Arctic. Initiate a pilot project(s) that could incorporate elements of data collection and sharing. Create an expert group to address data quality and sharing, to consider how groups can work together and how TK might be equitably utilized with a focus on the engagement of TK holders. Optimize use of information by ensuring that CAFF data initiatives take into account ongoing mining industry data needs, activities and approaches so that they are clearly defined.	Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Arctic Mining Challenges and Proposed Solutions	2019
Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI)	Action	3	Mitigate seabird and seaduck bycatch 3.1 Initiate an overlap analysis for seabird bycatch in circumpolar region 3.2 Continue discussions about mitigation measures with fisheries partners 3.3 Support efforts to develop best practices for bycatch data collection 3.4 Assess gill net bycatch for key species and regions	AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: Circumpolar Flyway	2021
Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA)	Key finding	9	The challenges facing Arctic biodiversity are interconnected, requiring comprehensive solutions and international cooperation.	Arctic Biodiversity Assessment: Report for Policy Makers	2013
Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA)	Recommendation	16	Research and monitor individual and cumulative effects of stressors and drivers of relevance to biodiversity, with a focus on stressors that are expected to have rapid and significant impacts and issues where knowledge is lacking. This should include, but not be limited to, modelling potential future species range changes as a result of these stressors; developing knowledge of and identifying tipping points, thresholds and cumulative effects for Arctic biodiversity; and developing robust quantitative indicators for stressors through the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program.	Arctic Biodiversity Assessment: Report for Policy Makers	2013
Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA)	Action	12	Evaluate the range of services provided by Arctic biodiversity in order to determine the costs associated with biodiversity loss and the value of effective conservation in order to assess change and support improved decision making. 12.1. Prepare a scoping report on the potential for applying the TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) approach to evaluate the benefits people receive from Arctic biodiversity. 12.2. Evaluate ecosystem services. a. Complete the TEEB scoping study. b. Follow-up as appropriate on valuation of ecosystem services. 12.3. Enhance the use of both existing traditional and local knowledge and community-based monitoring approaches in the work of the Arctic Council.	Actions for Arctic Biodiversity, 2013-2021: Implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment	2015
	Advice		Develop targets to stimulate actions and against which progress can be measured.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA)	Action		CHALLENGE Funding is inconsistent, often leaving out the involvement of Arctic Indigenous peoples. POTENTIAL ACTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Funding aimed at actively engaging Indigenous peoples and organizations in scientific activities and to improve the understanding and use Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom	Arctic Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom: Changes in the North American Arctic	2017
Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI)	Key finding	8	Due to data limitations, this report is a first step towards developing detailed knowledge of macroecological patterns in Arctic breeding migratory birds. Trends may differ from expert knowledge until data gaps are filled. In addition, we did not examine if abundance change is attributable to factors other than the loss of individuals, e.g., shifts in seasonal ranges.	Arctic Species Trend Index: Migratory Birds Index	2015
Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW)	Key finding	7	The extensive scientific, Indigenous, institutional, and local knowledge on Arctic wetlands could inform broad and rapid actions to protect, conserve and restore wetlands if supported by policy. Noting the stewardship and wealth of knowledge of Arctic communities, and existing science, the key obstacles to scaling-up research or case studies are not due to lack of knowledge. Multiple case studies and research projects have demonstrated that protection, conservation, or restoration of degraded Arctic wetlands offers substantial benefits for water-centric ecosystem services, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. In addition to Indigenous, institutional, and local knowledge of wetlands, there is a considerable and broad scientific knowledge base on wetlands protection, conservation, restoration, and management which dates back many decades. All of this knowledge is crucial for adaptive and holistic management of wetlands.	Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations	2021
Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW)	Recommendation	10	Develop and share between Arctic states outreach and communication strategies and tools to explain the values of wetlands, the threats to wetlands and provide examples of wetland restoration success stories. Material for the full Arctic region could be complemented with materials specific to knowledge from different geographic regions, communities, and Indigenous Peoples.	Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations	2021
Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW)	Advice	1	Documenting Indigenous Resource Use: Improving documentation of Indigenous resource use may allow management authorities to make decisions that respect and accommodate Indigenous resource use by ensuring that subsistence activities are not unnecessarily impeded by management actions	Arctic Wetlands and Indigenous Peoples Study: An assessment of Indigenous engagement in wetland protected areas	2021