Newswise — A horizon-scan of chemical pollution research requirements in Antarctica has prompted a call for the Antarctic Treaty consultative parties to expand their national chemical monitoring programs to include their Antarctic research stations and Territories. The scan highlights the need for increased monitoring of chemical pollution in Antarctica to better understand and address potential environmental risks in the region. By extending national monitoring programs to Antarctic stations and Territories, a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to chemical pollution research can be achieved, aiding in the protection and preservation of the Antarctic environment.
In a paper titled 'Personal View' and published in The Lancet Planetary Health, Professor Susan Bengtson Nash from Griffith University's Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, along with a team of researchers, emphasized the absence of adequate chemical pollution monitoring frameworks in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region. They highlighted that these regions serve as crucial indicators, or barometers, for assessing the overall health of the planet. The paper sheds light on the need to establish robust monitoring systems for chemical pollution in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, in order to better understand and mitigate the environmental impacts and potential risks associated with chemical pollutants in these sensitive ecosystems.
In 2021, the United Nations (UN) identified global chemical pollution as one of three critical components contributing to a "triplet planetary crisis," alongside climate change and biodiversity loss. In light of this recognition, the horizon scan discussed was conducted by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) Action Group known as "Input Pathways of Persistent Organic Pollutants to Antarctica" (ImPACT). This group focused on understanding and addressing the pathways through which persistent organic pollutants enter Antarctica. The scan aimed to identify research needs and called attention to the urgency of implementing effective monitoring frameworks to address chemical pollution in the Antarctic region, given its significance as an environmental barometer and its alignment with the broader global environmental challenges.
Four priority research and research facilitation gaps were outlined, with recommendations for Antarctica Treaty parties for strategic action against these priorities. They include:
Priority 1: Utilisation of Antarctica as a natural laboratory for the identification of persistent and mobile chemicals
Priority 2: Investigation of chemical behaviour, fate, and effects in changing Antarctic ecosystems
Priority 3: Assessment of the toxicological sensitivity of endemic Antarctic biota
Priority 4: Sustained circumpolar chemical surveillance
Professor Bengtson Nash emphasizes that the current advanced stage of the global chemical pollution threat necessitates a significant shift in the approach to global chemical regulation. The gravity of the situation demands a transformative change in how chemicals are regulated worldwide. This implies the need for more stringent regulations, comprehensive monitoring systems, and effective measures to mitigate and prevent chemical pollution on a global scale. The call is for a proactive and decisive response to address this pressing environmental challenge and safeguard planetary health.
“In response, in 2022 the UN Environment Assembly (UN-EA) committed to establishing a UN Intergovernmental Science-policy Panel for the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and Pollution Prevention by 2024.
“This body is envisaged to serve in the same role as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; that is, to provide policymakers with scientific assessments.”
Similar to climate change, chemical pollution in Earth's polar regions acts as a barometer for assessing the overall health of the planet. The unique ecosystems found in the polar regions are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of chemical pollutants, making them important indicators of the state of planetary health. The robust data generated from these regions plays a crucial role in supporting global chemical policy development, assessments, and decision-making processes. The information derived from monitoring and research in polar regions provides valuable insights into the extent of chemical pollution, its ecological consequences, and its potential effects on human health. This knowledge is essential for shaping effective strategies, regulations, and international agreements to address chemical pollution and protect the well-being of our planet.
Professor Bengtson Nash highlights the existing deficiency of pollution monitoring frameworks in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region. Despite global efforts to address chemical pollution, these initiatives are hindered by the absence of legal recognition and enforcement of international commitments made by individual Antarctic Treaty parties in the region. This lack of acknowledgment and adherence to international agreements undermines the collective efforts to combat chemical pollution in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. It emphasizes the need for stronger legal mechanisms and enhanced recognition of the importance of fulfilling international commitments within the region. By establishing comprehensive monitoring frameworks and ensuring the implementation of these commitments, the mitigation and prevention of chemical pollution in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean can be effectively addressed.
“Timely progress in the field of Antarctic chemical research calls for Antarctic Treaty consultative parties to transcend what is legally required of them, and to extend their national chemical monitoring programs to their Antarctic research stations and Territories,” Professor Bengtson Nash said.
“Holistically designed chemical research and monitoring programmes, that encompass ecological drivers of change, will facilitate the construction of novel longitudinal datasets that can be used to answer vital research questions for the protection of Planetary Health.”
The research article titled "Monitoring Persistent Organic Chemicals in Antarctica in Support of Global Chemical Policy; A Horizon Scan of Priority Actions and Challenges" has been published in The Lancet Planetary Health. This study explores the need for effective monitoring of persistent organic chemicals in Antarctica and its significance in supporting global chemical policy. It identifies priority actions and challenges associated with monitoring these pollutants in the region. The publication serves as a valuable contribution to the scientific literature, shedding light on the importance of monitoring chemical pollutants in Antarctica and providing insights into the necessary steps and obstacles involved in establishing comprehensive monitoring systems.
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