Concurrent Session 1 Pollution in the Arctic: Oil and gas extraction on the continental shelf as a major contributor

• Main Authors: Shapulenko, Anna, Borshchevskaia, Ekaterina, Mangutov, Erdni
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech 2022
• Subjects: Arctic; black carbon
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/yeah-conference/april2022/all-events/3

The pollution in the Arctic region is partly generated by offshore hydrocarbon projects. The core of the problem is gas flaring which is responsible for rising black carbon emissions in the region. We examined oil spills and other accidents leading to the release of pollutants. The history of the problem was overviewed, the scale and dynamics were assessed. The main consequences with a primer focus on biodiversity and indigenous peoples were analyzed. Finally, we propose several measures to resolve this issue, including the promotion of bird rehabilitation centers, raising awareness on the health problems caused by pollution among indigenous peoples, as well as improving oil spill response systems.