Assessment of Existing and Planned Initiatives Addressing Mercury Sources in the Arctic States and Identification of Possible Measures for Follow-up
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Issue Date
2006
Authors
Danish Ministry of the Environment, Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Subject
ACAP , Mercury
Abstract
In order to address the common concern of increasing mercury levels in the
Arctic (AMAP reports), the Arctic Council launched the ACAP project "Reduction
of Atmospheric Mercury Releases from Arctic States". With the objective
to "identify important anthropogenic source categories for mercury emission
within the Arctic region and to initiate cost effective reduction measures at one
or a few specific sources or plants that could serve as pilot projects", the project
task was to "use this information to identify and prioritise source categories for
possible reduction measures, and promote development of action plan or strategies
for mercury emission". The AMAP findings showed that efforts to reduce
the mercury load in the Arctic should continue to be directed both inwards,
among the Arctic States, and outwards, towards other states hemispherically or
globally. The commitment to do so is reflected in the ministerial declarations.
Scope
During the work with the project on Reduction of Atmospheric Mercury Releases
from Arctic States ("the ACAP Mercury Project"), it has been discussed
by the countries and other stakeholders represented in the project steering
group, whether there was a need for additional regional initiatives on mercury
reduction under the auspices of the Arctic Council. Regarding the ACAP project
Reduction of Atmospheric Mercury Releases from Arctic States, the ACAP
Steering Committee agreed at their meeting in October 2004, on the following:
"A second report, on “Arctic Mercury Releases Inventory” has been prepared
and the inventory of source categories is ready for approval by the Project
Steering Group. The ACAP Steering Committee agreed that the report should
also contain the regional assessment of existing and planned initiatives addressing
the source categories in the Arctic states and identify possible measures for
follow-up. "