The Arctic Messenger Gains a Voice - The Changing Arctic Environment: The Arctic Messenger - page 40

special issue of a well-known and respected scientific journal. Re-
cently, AMAP has been experimenting with using this approach in
place of the AAR. It reduces redundant efforts on the part of scientists
and increases the exposure of the assessment in the global scientific
community.

· AMAP reports on “Issues of Concern”. These reports are not individu-

ally requested by ministers but enable AMAP to rapidly inform minis-
ters of key information resulting from the work of AMAP. If neces-
sary, they may be produced at a greater frequency than the two-year
cycle of ministerial meetings.

· Assessment information prepared to assist in evaluating the effectiveness

and sufficiency of agreements for protecting the Arctic environment,
including the POPs and heavy metals protocols to the CLRTAP, and
the Stockholm Convention on POPs under the United Nations Envir-
onment Programme (UNEP).

2. Reports or contributions to reports produced and normally funded by interna-
tional organisations and linked to existing AMAP activities. Examples since
2004 include: The AMAP/UNEP Background Report to the Global Atmo-
spheric Mercury Assessment (2008); the follow-up AMAP/UNEP Technical
Background Report for the Global Mercury Assessment (2013); the
UNEP/AMAP report on Climate Change and POPs: Predicting the Impacts
(2011); and AMAP reports on the Impact of Short-Lived Pollutants on Arctic
Climate (2008), on Sources and Mitigation Opportunities to Reduce Emis-
sions of Short-Term Arctic Climate Forcers (2008), on Combined Effects of
Selected Pollutants and Climate Change (2011) and on The Impact of Black
Carbon on Arctic Climate (2011). Work of this nature is only undertaken
when approved by the AMAP working group and following notification of