Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) 31st Working Group meeting was held between September 12-14 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Eight Arctic States (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and US), three of six AC permanent participants (indigenous peoples’ organizations; ICC, AAC, and Saami Council), six AC observer countries (France, Germany, Italy, Japan Netherlands, and Rep. Korea), and related organizations such as PAME, CAFF, Arctic Economic Council, European Commission, IASC, and ICES, participated in this meeting.
Under the US chairmanship period (2015-2017), the AMAP has been working for making assessment reports of the three main activities (Snow, Water, Ice, and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA); Adaptation Action for Changing Arctic (AACA) for three pilot regions (Barents, Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, and Bering/Chukchi/Beaufort); and Chemicals of Emerging Arctic Concern (CEAC)). These assessments have been published as a version of “Summary for Policy Maker (SPM)” or “Overview report” in April 2017, when we had the AMAP organized “International Conference on Arctic Science: Bringing Knowledge to Action” in Reston, VA, USA. Publications of related technical/science background reports will be finalized until the end of 2017. In this WG meeting, we reviewed the progress on such AMAP on-going projects. Other important issues of this WG meeting are 1) to confirm work plan 2017-2019 and 2) to start discussion about updated AMAP Strategic Framework for 2018-2026. Under the AMAP workplan in 2017-2019, AMAP are preparing to deliver the product and some of assessment reports will be published in 2018, 2019 and next period (2019-2021).
In the session of Observers’ report (Item 7), I reported Japan’s AMAP related activities and contribution. Note that Japan have been participating in the AMAP WG meeting and presenting the activities and contributions for AMAP since Japan was granted as one of observer countries of the Arctic Council. Also, based on our scientific results, we have been contributing the AMAP and AMAP-related activities, such as SWIPA, AOA, AACA, and TFBCM. AC countries and AMAP secretariat expressed thanks to Japan’s past contributions to AMAP activities and wish for our continuous scientific contribution
Next AMAP WG meeting will be held in Sweden hasted by Saami Council and Sweden. Date and Location will be decided later.
Takashi Kikuchi (JAMSTEC / theme 4 PI)
The 31th meeting of AMAP WG
Ms. Marianne Kroglund (Norway), a new chair of AMAP, and AMAP secretariat
