The Changing Arctic Environment: The Arctic Messenger

Description

This accessible and engagingly written book describes how national and international scientific monitoring programmes brought to light our present understanding of Arctic environmental change, and how these research results were successfully used to achieve international legal actions to lessen some of the environmental impacts. David P. Stone was intimately involved in many of these scientific and political activities. He tells a powerful story, using the metaphor of the 'Arctic Messenger' - an imaginary being warning us all of the folly of ignoring Arctic environmental change. This book will be of great interest to anyone concerned about the fate of the Arctic, including lifelong learners interested in the Arctic and the natural environment generally; students studying environmental science and policy; researchers of circumpolar studies, indigenous peoples, national and international environmental management, and environmental law; and policymakers and industry professionals looking to protect (or exploit) Arctic resources.

David P. Stone received a degree in zoology from the University of Aberdeen in 1973. In 1977, he earned a PhD in oceanography from the University of British Columbia. Initially, he worked as an oceanographic scientist in the Canadian Arctic. From 1980 to 2004, he was involved in the management of research for the Northern Affairs Programme of the Canadian Government, becoming Director of Northern Science and Contaminant Research. During this time, he became involved in the development of circumpolar cooperation under the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy that subsequently became the Arctic Council. In 1991 they established the Arctic Monitoring Assessment Programme (AMAP), where he served as Canada's delegate on the governing working group until 2004 and as its chair between 1993 and 1997. From 1990 to 1994, David co-chaired the task force on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the UNECE LRTAP Convention and helped develop a legally binding protocol under the convention. He also served on the Canadian delegation that negotiated a parallel protocol on heavy metals, including mercury. He was involved with negotiating the Stockholm Convention on POPs and, after retirement, he was retained by the convention secretariat to assist in the development of a process to measure, through global monitoring, whether environmental levels of POPs are falling as a result of the new international controls. In 1997, he was instrumental in developing a virtual University of the Arctic based on existing circumpolar institutions. The Arctic Council formally announced the creation of the university in September 1998. David received Deputy Minister awards from the Northern Affairs Programme and from Environment Canada, and he also received an award from Jean Chretien, the then Prime Minister of Canada. These awards were in recognition of his work on developing and managing Arctic contaminants research and on using the results to achieve negotiation of global agreements.

'David Stone has done a remarkable job of summarizing the scientific information and the behind the scenes activities that has led to a global awareness of the sensitivity of the Arctic environment to the impacts of pollution and climate change. His use of the 'Arctic messenger' throughout the book - as an entity that communicates how the changes in the Arctic may be the harbinger of future changes of ecosystems elsewhere - is particularly effective.' Derek Muir, Environment Canada '... an extremely well written book, both scientifically and as a very readable book by many audiences. He has captured how, over twenty-five years of intense scientific research and assessments by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program of the Arctic Council and others, our assessments of scientific understanding of a changing Arctic environmental landscape has achieved scientific credibility and has influenced substantively international agreements and treaties ... an engaging book and it is an important 'read' for a wide audience.' Robert W. Corell, Florida International University and the University of the Arctic '... The Changing Arctic Environment ... is a greatly informative and enjoyable book that succeeds in explaining complex physical and chemical processes in a manner understandable to the general public. Stone thus achieves the goal he set for himself: to help make accessible the knowledge of Arctic change and its global implications ... a wonderful guide to understanding the changes taking place in the Arctic environment as well as to lessons learnt from ... past experience in how the international community can - and should - respond to them.' Polar Record 'This book is addressing a broad range of readership, from interested laymen to senior scientists alike. I, thus, recommend this unique book for all readers who want to learn more about the intricate network of personal engagement, scientific motivation, political agenda, and intergovernmental collaboration in the Arctic.' Roland Kellenborn, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 'Happily, The Changing Arctic Environment uses no 'twelve cylinder words' as the late John Bayly, a well-known Canadian lawyer, referred to technical writing. This book is written for the public and opinion makers who influence the development and implementation of public policy. Chapters address radioactivity, acidification and Arctic haze, ozone depletion, persistent organic pollutants (including pesticides and insecticides), mercury, and climate change. At the end of each chapter is an often engaging summary - The Long and the Short of It - to reinforce earlier conclusions. There is an autobiographical tinge to this book, and Stone gives the nod to his many colleagues and collaborators ...' Terry Fenge, Arctic Review on Law and Politics