Environment
Swedish activities in the Polar Regions are characterized by a high environmental performance. In order to minimize the environmental impacts, Environmental Impact Assessments are standard procedures for all expeditions.
According to the international agreements Antarctica is designated as a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science. Hence, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat has strict environmental principles that govern all of our activities in Antarctica. An important part of the Swedish environmental work is the integration of environmental aspects in all activities.
The effort from this work is shown in different environmental installations at the summer station Wasa in Antarctic. Several energy conservation measures have successfully been incorporated into the structure of the building. E.g. originally diesel generators provided energy for the station. However, these are now only used as a back-up supply since the installation of propane gas to supply the heaters, stove, refrigerators, hot water and sauna and the installation of an electricity generator and solar panels. The solar panels cover almost all the energy usage from the electrical equipment. As a result, during the season 2001/02 only 130 kg LPG per month was used to provide energy for the whole station compared to 2095 liters of diesel per month used in the 1991/92 season.
Impact from human activities
Since the season 2001/02 an environmental monitoring program has been carried out in Antarctic to assess the impacts from Swedish activities around the Swedish research stations Wasa and Svea. The results from the environmental monitoring program indicate that the impact from human activities in the area is considered to be minor, or less than minor.
The Swedish environmental work is carried out in close co-operation with Finland and Norway, which has resulted e.g. in the Nordic Environmental Handbook Antarctic Operations. The handbook is a flexible tool containing guidelines and operational plans for the environmental protection.
Arctic expeditions
Even though the environment in the Arctic is not protected by international agreements like the Antarctic Treaty System the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat apply the same strict environmental principle for Arctic expeditions. There are many international non-governmental organizations working with environmental monitoring and biological conservation issues in the Arctic. Some of them you will find in the recommended links below.
Links to websites about environmental issues in Antarctic and Arctic:
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP), is an international organization established to implement components of the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy and now a program group of the Arctic Council.
Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), is a Working Group of the Arctic Council. It mission is to conserve Arctic biodiversity and to ensure that the use of Arctic living resources is sustainable.
The Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP), established 14 January 1998 by the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. This web site provides CEP members and others interested in Antarctic environmental issues with easy access to information relevant to the work of the Committee.
Antarctic Environmental Officers Network (AEON), the web site is a forum for the exchange of information, experience and ideas about practical environmental management issues in the Antarctic.
Nordic Antarctic Environmental Officers Network (NAEON), a forum for exchange of information and practical issues related to Nordic activities in the Antarctic.
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