Arctic a ‘hemispheric sink’ for chemicals & plastics; 13 million people in region at risk, says report

The Arctic is a ‘hemispheric sink’ for chemicals & plastics accumulating in the region from local as well as global sources. These pose a grave risk for the 13 million inhabitants of the region, a new report has said ahead of negotiations for a Global Plastic Treaty that begin in Ottawa, Canada on April 23, 2024.

The Arctic’s Plastic Crisis: Toxic Threats to Health, Human Rights, and Indigenous Lands from the Petrochemical Industry was launched by Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) on April 15.

It advocated for a Just Transition framework that is specifically oriented toward shifting the Arctic and the world “from an extractive to a regenerative economy that fosters healthy, equitable communities”.

“Transformational changes are urgently needed from the local to international levels to prevent further harm and to advance solutions,” it read.

The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4), is scheduled to take place from April 23-29, at the Shaw Center in Ottawa, Canada.

The session will be preceded by regional consultations on April 21.

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INC-4 was preceded by INC-3 (November 13-19, 2023) in Nairobi, Kenya, INC-2 in Paris, France (May 29-June 2, 2023) and INC-1 (November 28-December 2, 2022) in Punta del Este, Uruguay.  

‘Interconnected challenges’

The report noted that challenges like plastics, toxic chemicals and climate changes were equally responsible for bedevilling the Arctic:

While distinct and challenging in their own realms, the problems of plastics, toxic chemicals, and climate change are interconnected and attributable to fossil fuel production and use.

The Arctic is suffering from both local and global pollution, according to the report.

Plastics and chemicals produced all over the world deposit and accumulate in the Arctic. Chemicals and plastics are transported to the region on atmospheric and oceanic currents from lower latitudes, through a process known as global distillation or the “grasshopper effect.”

Meanwhile, the burning of fossil fuels globally exacerbates the devastating consequences of climate warming, particularly in the Arctic. The region is warming at a rate nearly four times faster than the rest of the world, according to the report.

The second source of pollution in the Arctic is local. The document notes that Arctic peoples already have a long history of suffering as a result of the region’s colonisation and the subsequent exploitation of local natural resources.

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The fossil fuel/petrochemical industry too has played a role in this process. The Arctic has long been explored by the industry in search of coal and petroleum:

Many of the multinational oil and gas corporations active in Alaska have long track records of environmental violations. Air pollution in the Arctic from their operations and their oil spills and releases of hazardous substances harm the environment and threaten Arctic Peoples’ health, yet the costs of this damage have never been calculated.

Now, as the world looks at shifting to renewables, the fossil fuel industry is looking to dramatically increase its production of petrochemicals and plastics.

“The industry’s plan to increase fossil fuel operations in the Arctic is tied to their intent to focus on producing more plastics and chemicals, regardless of the harmful impacts on Arctic Peoples or the climate. Further, climate warming and melting sea ice in the Arctic is opening new areas for exploration and development,” the report said.

According to industry projections, oil and gas used for petrochemicals will increase from less than 20 per cent today to as much as 50 per cent by 2050.

The estimated 13 million inhabitants of the Arctic, who come from 40 ethnic groups, are at risk from plastics, chemicals, and climate change.

“Rapid warming of the Arctic is forcing climate-induced community displacement and threatening food security. Indigenous Peoples are being pushed out of their traditional lands and losing access to traditional foods, sacred places, and other cultural practices due to the interlinking consequences of chemicals, plastics, and fossil fuels,” the analysis noted.

The report recommends ending government subsidies to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries and supporting clean, renewable energy and a toxics-free materials economy. The expansion of the industry in the region must be stopped.

It adds that Alaskan communities are laying the groundwork in creating a post-extractive future for the US state focused on reconnecting with traditional Indigenous values.