Umweltbundesamt
Click to enlargeMonitoring pollution levels is of crucial importance for the protection of the Antarctic, for understanding global interrelationships and for shaping international environmental and chemicals policy. UBA has therefore launched an international research project to compile data from pollutant monitoring programs of selected Antarctic Treaty states.
Antarctica is one of Earth's last pristine environments and requires monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) to protect its fragile ecosystems from pollution with lasting and irreversible impacts on wildlife and the environment. POPs and CECs, capable of traveling long distances from their origins through atmospheric and oceanic currents, pose a global concern. Monitoring in Antarctica will provide crucial data on global pollution patterns and the effectiveness of international agreements aimed at mitigating environmental contamination.
The high sensitivity of the Antarctic environment to climate change makes it necessary to understand the interactions between POPs, CECs and polar ecosystems. This is the only way to gain insights into possible changes in the distribution and toxicity of pollutants as a result of global warming. Although Antarctica is sparsely populated, research stations and seasonal tourism pose risks to humans from environmental pollutants. POPs and CECs can accumulate in the food web and affect species at different trophic levels, from plankton to top predators such as seals and penguins. Monitoring efforts to assess the health of the ecosystem and the impact on biodiversity are therefore urgently needed, also to assess potential risks to human health and implement safety measures.
In order to overcome these challenges, international cooperation between Antarctic Treaty Parties and the joint development of a pollutant concept is required. Monitoring promotes global co-operation as pollutants transcend national borders. By sharing monitoring data and insights of national and international monitoring programs, policy decisions can be made that lead to stricter environmental regulations and international agreements to mitigate the release of harmful pollutants.
The aim of the project is to develop a comprehensive concept for a polar environmental monitoring program (POLEMP) of pollutants in the Antarctic in order to close existing knowledge gaps on chemical pollution in the polar regions. A monitoring program is planned that will track the occurrence and fluctuations of organic pollutants, drawing on existing initiatives such as the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), the Antarctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AnMAP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The approach involves analysing samples from the Antarctic to propose a systematic data approach for sampling and sample analysis. The standardised protocols of the environmental sample banks of the project partners are considered as a basis to further develop the idea of a polar environmental sample bank and the improvement of international research cooperation.
In addition, the project will compile current data on chemical pollution in the Antarctic to inform key international environmental forums and organisations. This will be done through collaboration with the SCAR ImPACT Action Group and the Stockholm Convention. To promote dialogue and consensus between scientists and stakeholders, international workshops are planned for 2024 and 2026. Results will be disseminated through open-access publications, reports and social media to ensure broad stakeholder and public engagement and impact, and to highlight ongoing progress in environmental monitoring in Antarctica.
The POLEMP project is a joint effort of international partners with the aim of developing a comprehensive pollutant concept for conducting environmental research and monitoring in Antarctica. The following partners are involved.
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
