In a newly released report from AMAP "Update on Selected Climate Issues of Concern - Observations, Short-lived Climate Forcers, Arctic Carbon Cycle and Predictive Capability" (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme). (A copy of the report is available on AMAPs homepage.) Recent results from Arctic carbon cycle research is presented and it is stated that improved understanding of the carbon dynamics is needed to modeling Arctic carbon cycle impact on global climate change. Climate change may alter the natural cycling of carbon (C) in ecosystems in the Arctic. The Arctic carbon cycle is an important factor in the global climate system. Significant amount of carbon has been accumulated over thousands of years and stored in permafrost soils because of the process of cryoturbation, which moves organic matter into the deeper soil layers. Other processes, such as decomposition, wildfires, and logging, cause release of carbon into the atmosphere and, thus, act as carbon sources. At present the Arctic is a sink for carbon however climate warming - and thawing of the permafrost and accelerating decomposition processes - could disrupt the balance between accumulation of carbon in Arctic soils and emission of CO2 back into the atmosphere. Furthermore, the report highlights another issue relevant for the understanding of the carbon cycle in the Arctic: "In addition to the usual sources of carbon, primarily from plant matter, the Arctic appears to have huge quantities of methane hydrates. Methane is stable in cold conditions and under high pressure, and thus found in permafrost on land and continental shelves and also beneath the sediments of the Arctic Basin. As hydrates warm or as pressure is reduced, the methane is released. The amount of methane hydrates is not well known, but some global estimates suggest it may rival the amounts of all known sources of gas and oil." The rate of carbon release from permafrost soils is highly uncertain, but it is crucial for predicting the strength and timing of this carbon-cycle feedback effect, and thus how important permafrost thaw will be for climate change this century. Permafrost's role in isolating carbon from participating in the carbon cycle could be challenged by global warming and an accelerating permafrost thawing - and transform the Arctic into of carbon source where no known mitigation measures exist.

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The past and existing community and industrial development of the Arctic have resulted in increased accumulation of waste. Research confirms that contamination of the environment of the Arctic caused by local sources represents a growing threat to the environment and to human safety and health in the Arctic. Under the Arctic Council, ACAP was established in 2006 for assessment, treatment and disposal of waste causing pollution. Public waste management and treatment are not well developed in remote Arctic communities, and local knowledge of hazardous waste and its treatment and contamination risks are low. Due to traditional living conditions the indigenous peoples of the Arctic are the ones most exposed to higher levels of environmental contaminants. The work for developing this initiative continues. The implementation of the initiative is expected to start during 2010 and it will have character of being a pilot project.

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The Sakha Republic's Department of Culture and Education hosted the "Arctic Indigenous Siberian Languages Symposium" in September of 2009. The symposium was a Russian follow-up to the Arctic Councils "Arctic Indigenous Languages Symposium" held in Tromsø in November 2008. It was arranged in collaboration with the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON). The symposium focused on indigenous languages in the Sakha Republic, which is home to 26 indigenous languages. Several research groups from Sakha presented their research results and their on-going work. Presentations outlined the systematic approach to document these indigenous languages and the initiated revitalization of some of them. The linguistic rights, written formulation, development of textbooks, focus on different cultural expressions and printing of literature and textbooks were among the issues discussed. Teaching in indigenous languages is being intensified in the Sakha Republic through language policies and a systematic approach in developing educational materials. The Sakha Republic has extensive working relationships with the neighboring political entities and with the international research community dealing with those issues. There are several educational and research institutes that focus on the indigenous cultures and languages of the Russian Federation. Some have existed for several years and are now producing and reprinting cultural and education materials as well as indigenous literature both in the forms of traditional tales and poetry of today. Participants in the symposium included national and international experts from UNESCO (UN-New York), Oqaasileriffik (Greenland Self Rule), Catalan (Barcelona, Spain), the University of Chicago (USA), the University of Leiden (Holland) and the Herzen Institute of St. Petersburg (Russian Federation) and Moscow University (Russian Federation). Representatives from neighboring political entities (Magadan Oblast, Sakhalin Oblast, Kamchatka Krai, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansisk Autonomous Okrug, Karelia Republic) and from Permanent Participants to the Arctic Council (Arctic Athapascan Council and RAIPON) were also invited to participate in the symposium on Indigenous Languages of Siberian Languages. The proceedings of the symposium will be distributed to the participating institutions and organizations as well as other groups interested in the symposium, such as the Arctic Council. Source: Carl Christian Olsen

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As the climate in the Arctic changes and the Greenlandic Ice sheet and sea ice melts at a more rapid rate and scale than expected mean model projections, the Ministers of the Arctic Council member states have established a task force on short-lived climate-forcing agents (SLCF's) in a meeting in Tromsø in April, 2009. The mandate from the Tromsø Declaration reads: "Decide to establish a task force on short-lived climate forcers to identify existing and new measures to reduce emissions of these forcers and recommend further immediate actions that can be taken and to report on progress at the next Ministerial meeting" Black Carbon is one of the short-lived climate forcing agents (tropospheric ozone and methane are SLCF's too). Black Carbon is an air pollutant composed of very fine particles of carbon that can be released into the air in aerosol form. Black Carbon is created by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (diesel and coal particularly), bio-fuels, and biomass. Carbon dioxide (CO2), on the other hand is the most well-known greenhouse gas, but is not as such a toxic substance. In fact, plants utilize CO2 in the photosynthesis. The problem with CO2 is its accumulation in the atmosphere and its ways of heating it up. When Black Carbon from the atmosphere in Arctic areas is deposited on ice and snow it makes the ice and snow packs darker, reducing the Albedo effect (the ability to reflect sunlight). The effect it has on snow covered sea ice is much more pronounced because as the snow melts, the Black Carbon accumulates on the ice surface in high concentrations. That makes snow and ice absorb more heat and thereby accelerates melting in summer months, which is the kind of feedback loop that practically defines the climate change problem. Black Carbon has another characteristic which has drawn attention in the climate change debate. While CO2 has a life of up to about 40 years in the atmosphere, Black Carbon remains in the atmosphere for a matter of weeks. Black Carbon is considered responsible for having an important impact of the Arctic melting. Due to Black Carbons short life, it is expected that emission reductions can rapidly reduce the rate at which Arctic ice is melting and therefore presents a unique opportunity to have an immediate impact on climate change. Debates are taking place in the international forums on the benefits of respectively reducing the emissions of Black Carbon and mitigating CO2 emission. Black Carbon reductions have more certain and immediate benefits, while reductions in CO2 emissions through CO2 mitigation will probably also have positive effects on climate change however it will only be realized over the longer term. However action on Black Carbon is not seen as an alternative to action on CO2. bvh