pdf ImPACT Action Group Report 2022

Input Pathways of Persistent Organic Pollutants to Antarctica (ImPACT-AG) 2020-22 Report

Action Group of the Life Sciences Group

Report Author(s): Susan Bengtson Nash (Australia)

Summary of activities from 2020-22

1. ImPACT have continued to hold twice yearly whole WG and task-specific meetings. Today we have 36 members representing from 18 countries.
2. ImPACT commenced their activities by collating two databases, (i) A sample database that new projects could refer to for circum-polar collaboration and scope, and (ii) An active projects database that members may use to navigate Antarctic access and samples via collaborators.
3. In 2021 ImPACT produced a white paper, a horizon scan of chemical pollution research needs in the Antarctic context, for the 2021 Antarctic Treaty Meetings. This article is in preparation as a Perspective paper for the Lancet Planetary Health.
4. Supplementary SCAR funding was secured to create an interactive pollution mapping tool in collaboration with EG-ABI (Expert Group on Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics). The supplementary funding secured the literature review and data entry for all POP literature and led to a collaboration with the PLASTICS group to commence data entry for plastics also. The map is available for viewing at: https://aad.aad-science.cloud.edu.au/app/sopopp/
5. In line with the goals of ImPACT to scaffold towards an Antarctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AnMAP) body, modelled on the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, UN endorsement of AnMAP as an Ocean Decade Activity was secured.
6. Further submissions resulting from the January, 2022 “ACT Now - Legacy and Emerging Contaminants in Polar Regions” workshop were made to the Antarctic Treaty CEP meetings in Berlin, and ImPACT have been asked to respond to these submissions, reporting on AnMAP activities.
7. ImPACT will host the 2022 SCAR Open Science Conference Session “Chemicals of Emerging Antarctic Concern; A rising tide in a warming climate.”
8. An outcome of the Antarctic Treaty Meetings feed-back was a suggestion of hosting a multiple stakeholder workshop. This activity is planned for late 2022.

Discussion continues on the logical placement of AnMAP within the SCAR structure.