Arctic Council Working Group Recommendations
| Project | Type | # | Outcome | Report | Year | FEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 4.4 | Valuing Arctic ecosystem services: Key Finding 4.4. Health values are often overlooked in ecosystem services analyses | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | Action | 4.4 | Habitat protection and enhancement: 10. Prepare a summary of protected eider areas, 11. Evaluate existing mechanisms for protecting eider habitat, 12. Protect additional eider habitat as needed, 13 Implement other needed protective measures | Circumpolar Eider Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 1997 | |
| 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 | 4.5 | Communication and consultation: 14. Support other eider conservation initiatives, 15. Ensure coordination with other bird conservation plans, 16. Enlist support of local residents and others interested in eiders, 17. Solicit periodic evaluation of the Strategy by eider specialists, 18. Prepare periodic reports summarizing accomplishments in eider conservation, 19. Ensure that eider conservation projects include an educational component. | Circumpolar Eider Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 1997 | |
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | 4.5 | Determine predation rates and the best mitigation measures to reduce the impact. 4.5.1. Investigate the magnitude and effect of predation at population level. | International Black-legged Kittiwake - Conservation Strategy and Action Plan | 2021 | ||
| CBird: Seabird Expert Group | 4.6 | Increase the knowledge base on damages made by kittiwakes breeding on man-made structures and the potential conflict. 4.6.1. More research is needed in order to reduce damage by kittiwake on construction and reduce conflicts with operators. | 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 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Key finding | 5 | Changes in Arctic biodiversity are creating both challenges and opportunities for Arctic peoples. | Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010 – Selected indicators of change | 2010 | |
| 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 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Action | 5 | Support measures under the AEWA Lesser White-fronted Goose (LWfG) International Working Group (IWG) to prevent illegal killing 5.1 Assist the AEWA LWfG IWG and the Birdlife Norwegian/Greek cooperation project cooperation project with the translation and dissemination of awareness-raising and education materials in key areas for the species within the Russian Arctic amongst indigenous and local communities. 5.2 Support the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat in engaging key Range States on a diplomatic level through Arctic Council member and observer country embassies | AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: African Eurasian Flyway | 2021 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Action | 5 | Mitigate habitat impairment from human intrusions and disturbances 5.1 Support efforts to develop policies and legislation to ensure the sustainability of legal hunting of shorebirds in North and South America 5.2 Promote studies that assess the prevalence and impacts of plastic contamination in shorebird populations in the Arctic 5.3 Work with communities and governments to assess and identify critical threats for priority species on designated WHSRN and IBA sites. | AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: Americas Flyway | 2021 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Action | 5 | Support the activities and priorities of the International Snowy Owl Working Group (ISOWG) 5.1 Publish a more precise global population estimate and assessment of population trends 5.2 Implement wider-scale tracking of Snowy Owls throughout their range | AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: Circumpolar Flyway | 2021 | |
| Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) | Action | 5 | Address other threats to Arctic migratory birds along Central and East Asian Flyways and improve international cooperation 5.1 (All countries): Analyse and assess development aid funding structures in high-income-countries and explore opportunities to help identify how AMBI can empower communities to support conservation of important priority species’ habitats, and develop solutions to address illegal hunting where pressures exist. 5.2. (All countries): Initiate work on evaluation of the effect of contaminants and/or pathogens on Arctic-breeding migratory birds as factors possibly decreasing their survival and reproduction potential and estimate bio-transition along the flyway to the Arctic. 5.3. (All countries): Promote cooperation between EAAFP’s Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force and AMBI in addressing Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation activities identified in this workplan. 5.4. (All countries): Create an intervention tool box to ensure resilience of Arctic-breeding migratory birds along Central and East Asian Flyways with the involvement of Arctic Council Observer countries as recommended by the draft AMBI crosswalk analysis under the PSI funded project. | AMBI Work Plan 2019-2025: Central and East Asian Flyways | 2021 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Key finding | 5 | Pollution from both long-range transport and local sources threatens the health of Arctic species and ecosystems. | Arctic Biodiversity Assessment: Report for Policy Makers | 2013 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Recommendation | 5 | Advance the protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, taking into account ecological resilience in a changing climate. a. Build upon existing and on-going domestic and international processes to complete the identification of ecologically and biologically important marine areas and implement appropriate measures for their conservation. b. Build upon existing networks of terrestrial protected areas, filling geographic gaps, including underrepresented areas, rare or unique habitats, particularly productive areas such as large river deltas, biodiversity hotspots, and areas with large aggregations of animals such as bird breeding colonies, seal whelping areas and caribou calving grounds. c. Promote the active involvement of Indigenous peoples in the management and sustainable use ofprotected areas. | Arctic Biodiversity Assessment: Report for Policy Makers | 2013 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Action | 5 | Advance the protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, taking into account ecological resilience in a changing climate. a. Build upon existing and on-going domestic and international processes to complete the identification of ecologically and biologically important marine areas and implement appropriate measures for their conservation. b. Build upon existing networks of terrestrial protected areas, filling geographic gaps, including under represented areas, rare or unique habitats, particularly productive areas such as large river deltas, biodiversity hotspots, and areas with large aggregations of animals such as bird breeding colonies, seal whelping areas and caribou calving grounds. 5.1. Provide input and assist with international processes underway to complete the identification of ecologically and biologically important Arctic areas and promote measures for their conservation as appropriate. 5.2. Develop and follow-up on a framework for a Pan-Arctic Network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that sets out a common vision for regional cooperation in MPA network development and management. 5.3. Analyse existing Arctic protected areas data to identify gaps and priorities, including identification of the most climate-change resilient Arctic areas, connectivity gaps, and missing buffer zones, making use of new information and new analytical tools. c. Promote the active involvement of indigenous peoples in the management and sustainable use ofprotected areas. 5.4. Develop guidelines for including Arctic indigenous and community values into protected areas planning and management, including exploring how best to promote and facilitate multiple values. 5.5. Analyse the results of ICC’s review of global protected areas schemes that promoteindigenous management practices, strong co-management schemes and supportindigenous food security for consideration by CAFF. | Actions for Arctic Biodiversity, 2013-2021: Implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment | 2015 | |
| Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA) | Key finding | 5 | Encourage equal partnership and participation at the outset and throughout research projects that affect Arctic Indigenous peoples. | Arctic Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom: Changes in the North American Arctic | 2017 | |
| Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) | Key finding | 5 | Waterfowl have increased across all flyway regions mainly due to geese, but there are differences in the underlying trends for geese/swans and for ducks. Geese and swans combined more than quadrupled in abundance between 1970 and 2011, showing positive change across regions (Figure 20), although coverage is too patchy for reliable conclusions. The increase in geese/swans is largely driven by geese, which make up the majority of this data set. Swans have been in decline since 1994. Duck abundance is 10% lower overall (Figure 19), but there are regional differences, with a halving in the Americas and a 70% increase in Africa-Eurasia. | Arctic Species Trend Index: Migratory Birds Index | 2015 | |
| Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW) | Key finding | 5 | In some regions, Arctic wetlands are already degraded by human land use and an ever growing human footprint poses threats to wetland functioning. This damage occurs in both Arctic and Boreal zones and arises from a number of threats such as expansion of forestry, agriculture, hydropower, extraction of peat, fossil fuels or minerals, threats to coastal wetlands from increased Arctic shipping and construction of new infrastructure. Wetlands are also vulnerable to human disturbances to permafrost or adjacent upland habitats and changes to the water balance or hydrological connectivity that can transform wetland function. Drained wetlands release carbon to the atmosphere instead of storing it, and the negative effect lasts for decades to centuries. Other losses of function include loss of biodiversity, changes to habitats and reduced capacity to buffer floods or droughts. | Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations | 2021 | |
| Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands (RAW) | Recommendation | 5 | Use short-lists of known northern wetland sites in need of protection, conservation or restoration to support national-level action plans. Such actions should be targeted to the most promising sites, including those that may be located outside the Arctic. Wetland protection, conservation and restoration would be more effective if done in direct collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and/or stakeholders and applied at the landscape level. | Resilience and Management of Arctic Wetlands: Key Findings and Recommendations | 2021 |