PAME is the focal point of the Arctic Council’s activities related to the protection and sustainable use of the Arctic marine environment and provides a unique forum for collaboration on a wide range of activities in this regard.
PAME carries out activities as set out in bi-annual work plans approved by the Arctic Council on the recommendation of the Senior Arctic Officials. These activities led by PAME include circumpolar and regional action programmes and guidelines complementing existing legal arrangements aimed at protection of the Arctic marine environment from both land and sea-based activities. PAME works in close collaboration with the other five Arctic Council Working Groups.
The PAME Working Group generally meets twice per year. Each meeting produces Records of Decisions (RoD's) which form the basis for the meeting reports The RoD's are decisions taken by PAME by consensus.
Participation between meetings varies, but each Arctic Council Member State nominates experts for the meetings, which are also open to the Permanent Participants, Observers in addition to experts invited by PAME.
Ministerial deliverables are documents which PAME produced for each Ministerial Meetings. The Arctic Council Ministers can either approved, welcome or note the deliverables.
Deliverables are generally the main documents associated with each PAME project.
The reports to the Senior Arctic Officials are generally short and concise overviews of the PAME working group proceeedings between SAO meetings. They give an update and overview on ongoing projects. SAO meetings are held regularly but progress reports are generally released once or twice per year.
The purpose of the PAME Work Plan is to provide a framework for PAME´s work related to the protection of the Arctic marine environment for every two year working period.
The PAME Work Plan includes information on all ongoing PAME projects and gives insight into activities ongoing at the given time.
PAME activities are guided by the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan and biennial Work Plans, which are developed by the PAME Working Group for approval by the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials.
The AMSP articulates how the Arctic Council can increase its understanding of the impacts of human activities, climate change and ocean acidification.
The AMSP recognizes the importance of acquiring a better understanding of Arctic change so that actions can be taken that allow Arctic inhabitants, including Arctic indigenous peoples to further adapt to the change.
The strategic actions identified in the AMSP will guide the work of the Arctic Council and its subsidiary bodies in the coming decade.
The impacts from shipping can be severe and the risks real to both marine habitat and Indigenous and community food security in the Arctic. Risks are equally high if essential goods and development do not reach people in the Arctic. The challenge for policy makers is to get the rules right to decrease the impacts and provide opportunity for people in the Arctic. Part of contributing to effective management and regulation of shipping is being on top of emerging social and environmental issues early, to give operators plenty of lead time for adaptive management, which will reduce impacts as soon and as effectively as possible. Wastewater discharge from ships, including grey water, sewage, and exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubber) effluent, is one such issue.
Goal of the Project
The main goal of the project is to develop a better understanding of vessel practices related to wastewater discharges in the Arctic, through a survey directed at shipping operators and associations.
The findings will inform potential future dialogue within the Arctic Council as well as ongoing discussions at the IMO.
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Definitions and Potential Impacts
Grey water
Considered drainage from accommodation (e.g. shower, bath), laundry and dishwater and is distinct from drainage from toilets, urinals, hospitals, and cargo spaces. Grey water can contain a variety of environmentally harmful pollutants and contaminants, including microplastics, nutrients, oil and grease, detergent and soap residue, harmful cleaning products, pharmaceutical and personal care products, heavy metals (e.g., copper, lead, mercury), coliform bacteria and pathogens.
Sewage
Also known as blackwater, is the general term for drainage and other wastes from toilets and urinals, medical premises, and spaces containing living animals. Sewage discharge can contain pharmaceutical and personal care products, as well as introduce invasive species and produce fecal-contaminated waters, which pose health risks to people who eat fish and other seafood from these areas. The environmental impacts of sewage discharge can be amplified in areas with low temperature and light conditions. For example, sewage discharge in the Arctic has a slow decomposition rate.
Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems
Also known as scrubbers, are designed to remove sulfur oxides from exhaust gases from fuel burned in marine engines. The process generates scrubber liquid effluent that has low pH and contains heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that pose a risk to the marine environment. Coastal communities that rely on healthy marine species for food and livelihood may also be impacted.
Indigenous and Local Community Engagement
Local communities and Indigenous residents in the Arctic have the most to gain by well managed and sustainable shipping practices. They are also the most impacted by pollution and ecosystem decline. Meaningful engagement of Indigenous and local communities during the project is essential, and IK (Indigenous Knowledge) and community perspectives will be included in developing the project scope, survey questions, and finalizing the report.
Survey of Current Practices
To understand current practices of Arctic shipping operators in dealing with discharges of grey water, sewage and scrubber effluent, a survey approach is proposed. A third-party contractor will be hired to conduct the confidential survey. Non-attributed results will be summarized, and a report written and shared with PAME members for comment, review and finalization.
By collaborating with industry associations like AECO (Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators), the consultant will conduct outreach and request interviews of current shipping operators, including cruise and tourism, pleasure craft, ferries, bulk carriers, fishing, research, tankers, and community and development project re-supply.
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Examples of possible survey questions:
What is your policy on wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent) discharges? (Where, how and when is it discharged, any special considerations for the Arctic or special areas?)
Do you have monitoring and recordkeeping in place for wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent) discharges? If so, what are they? Do you have a sampling program and are logbooks kept and updated?
Holding – do you have dedicated holding tanks for wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent)? What is the capacity for each?
Do you have a practice of shoreside discharges for wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent)? If so, what is the procedure?
Do you have treatment equipment for wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent)? Any pre-screening of solids? And, do you separate out the various wastewater streams? Is there any shared equipment or tanks with ballast water systems, or can wastewater be used as ballast?
What are the volumes, estimated or measured, for wastewater (greywater, sewage, and scrubber effluent) discharge? if so, how is this done or how is it estimated? What is the daily amount of water used onboard?
Food wastes - how is it handled? Are there any discharges of water from food?
What is the chemical use onboard and how does that use relate to wastewater discharges? Is it handled separately?
Are there cleaning or personal hygiene products (e.g.,ecofriendly shampoo) that are recommended for crew and passengers? Is there an education program for crew and passengers on wastewater?
Is any treated wastewater recycled for use such as cleaning or other uses such as toilet flushing?
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