ИСТИНА

The project ìRisk evaluation, risk reduction and risk management action plans for mercury in the Arctic ñ a circumpolar management approachî (ARCRISK) has been developed to address mercury pollution in the Arctic. The main objective is to develop an action plan with targeted risk reduction measures for mercury releases from key sources to land and water in the Arctic. The ARCRISK project team consists of experts from nine research organisations in Canada, Norway, Russia and USA. An inception workshop was held in Oslo in March 2020 to consolidate the team and collectively develop the project framework. ARCRISK was developed in the backdrop of the ratification of the Minamata Convention (MC) on mercury that entered into force in 2017, with the objective to ìprotect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compoundsî. Whereas emissions to air gained significant attention throughout the negotiations of the convention, less attention was bestowed to mercury releases to land and water. External stressors such as climate change, increased industrialization, and urbanization may further exacerbate the situation e.g. by influencing the natural mercury cycling and should therefore be taken into consideration when assessing mercury releases. Concurrently with the ongoing processes under the MC it is crucial to obtain a better understanding of the presence and magnitude of mercury release sources to the Arctic, and the risk associated with these releases, especially to locals and indigenous inhabitants. The aim of ARCRISK is closely aligned with the purpose of the Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP); to prevent and reduce pollution and environmental risks in the Arctic. The action plan will cover key sources from each of the four selected case study river catchment basins in Canada, Norway, and Russia. A probabilistic modelling approach will be applied for assessing the environmental risk associated with mercury exposure in these sites. The risk-based approach, including a review of sources and identification of key measures in the four localities, aims to recommend concrete reduction measures with high relevance for a larger part of the Arctic. The project aims not only to identify and assess the current risks, but also to assess the risks associated with different plausible future environmental (e.g. climatic), societal and economic development scenarios.