Responding to the publication of the Arctic Council's Romssa-Tromsø Statement, published on May 12th, Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance said:

“The Romssa-Tromsø Statement issued by the Arctic Council is a missed opportunity to acknowledge the impact that global climate heating is having on the Arctic, which is warming four times faster than anywhere else on earth, the consequences that the Arctic climate crisis is having for the rest of the planet, and on reducing the impact on the region from short-lived climate super pollutants like black carbon and methane”.

The Statement was approved during yesterday's 14th meeting of the Arctic Council, where the Kingdom of Denmark chair, including Greenland and the Faroe Islands, took over the Arctic Council Chairship from Norway. Ahead of the meeting, the Clean Arctic Alliance called on government ministers and Senior Arctic Officials from Arctic Council member and observer states to commit to curbing the rise of black carbon and methane pollution from shipping in the Arctic.

“While the Clean Arctic Alliance recognises that efforts have been made by the Arctic Council to reduce black carbon emissions by 23% between 2017 and 2025, in recent years, black carbon emissions from Arctic shipping have more than doubled”, said Prior. “We urge the new Kingdom of Denmark Chairship of the Arctic Council to take a strong and ambitious lead on accelerating reductions of both black carbon and methane from all sectors before 2030”.

Infographic: Arctic Shipping at the Nexus of the Triple Planetary Crisis

“More specifically the Clean Arctic Alliance is calling on the shipping sector to step forward and urgently reduce black carbon emissions by moving to polar fuels with lower black carbon emissions than traditional residual or heavy fuels still used by many ships operating in or near to the Arctic”, she added.

“While the Arctic Council's modest efforts to reduce black carbon and methane are certainly welcome, we need more, and greater action from member states and the shipping sector to further reduce these super pollutants – and their impacts on Arctic communities and ecosystems”, said Andrew Dumbrille, Special Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance. “Delaying any discussion of a new black carbon emissions target until 2029 and staying silent on targets for methane, which should at minimum be in line with the Global Methane Pledge, is a missed opportunity to say the least.”

“While the outcome is disappointing, the Arctic Council and its Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane did include specific reporting on black carbon shipping emissions and called out the need for action at the International Maritime Organization and in regional regulation to regulate and reduce emissions from shipping”, said Dumbrille. “This will set the foundation for concerted effort and action on Arctic black carbon pollution from shipping in the near future.”
Source: Clean Arctic Alliance