New issue of The Circle | Arctic clean-up: Turning the tide
WWF Global Arctic Programme
Working to conserve Arctic biodiversity since 1992
The Arctic is often thought of as unspoiled, but in reality, plenty of pollution and waste sources affect the region. Resource extraction, shipping, and industrial boom and bust cycles affect the capacity of communities to operate and maintain essential services, leading to pollution and solid waste. When not managed properly, these activities can contaminate the natural environment that people depend on for livelihoods and survival.
This issue of The Circle covers how pollution and waste impacts the Arctic – its ecosystems, communities and Indigenous Peoples – and what is being done to address Arctic pollution and waste issues – from global treaties to community-level clean-ups.
Spring internships 2025
We’re looking for two interns to join our team during the spring 2025 term. One internship will focus on information management and the other internship will focus on science communication.?The WWF Global Arctic Programme is a regional team, with core team staff based in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway. Most work is done remotely, with the option to spend the internship at the office in Stockholm.?
Oceans at COP16: Protecting Arctic marine biodiversity through ArcNet
Leaders from across the globe are gathering in Cali, Colombia for COP16—the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. This isn’t just another meeting. It’s a critical moment to assess how far countries have come in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), a pivotal plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
One solution to biodiversity loss in the Arctic is ArcNet—a scientifically developed network of priority areas for marine conservation across the Arctic Ocean. Developed by WWF’s Global Arctic Programme, ArcNet identifies the most critical areas needing protection, considering both environmental and human pressures. ArcNet would help protect Arctic biodiversity and help governments reach their 30% by 2030 commitments. Win-win!
Progress and challenges at IMO’s MEPC 82 meeting in London
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) convened for its 82nd session in London. While notable progress was made, there remains significant potential for the IMO to advance its efforts to protect ocean biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships. WWF and a Global Arctic Programme representative attended this meeting. Here’s our take on key outcomes that are critical to driving sustainability in the shipping industry.
WWF Living Planet Report 2024: A Planet in Crisis
The WWF Living Planet Report 2024 highlights a global crisis, revealing a catastrophic decline of 73% in wildlife populations over the last 50 years. The Living Planet Index tracks ecosystems health by monitoring changes in animal populations. A decline in species populations points to degraded ecosystems.?And degraded ecosystems are more vulnerable to tipping points — thresholds where changes may be irreversible. Current trends indicate that global tipping points – including two in the Arctic – are fast approaching. Crossing these thresholds could be catastrophic.
Is all that glitters gold? WWF-Norway puts deep sea mining on the national agenda
Norway decided to open large deep-water areas for the exploration and extraction of seabed minerals. The first round of licenses will soon be announced, where private companies can both search for and extract minerals from the seabed. These actions were approved by the Norwegian government without a proper public debate. WWF-Norway is funding a debate series in October and November across the nation where researchers, fishermen, business leaders and politicians will share their views on deep sea mining.
In the Bering Sea, Alaska Native Peoples tell their story through photographs
In May 2024, WWF partnered with the community of Savoonga to host a week-long participatory photography workshop. We helped participants to grow their photography skills and explore the art of visual storytelling.
Our participants— Jeri Okbaok, Derek Seppilu Jr., Derek Seppilu Sr., and Miriam Toolie—spent their free time with WWF capturing visuals of their homes, friends and family, the island, and the sea around them. At the end of the week, they shared some of those photos at an open-house exhibit which we’ve digitally replicated below. Please enjoy views of the Arctic through the lenses of people who call it home.
Arctic Community Wildlife Grants Program
WWF's Arctic Community Wildlife Grants program supports conservation, stewardship, and research initiatives that focus on coastal Arctic ecology, community sustainability, and priority Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, walrus, ice seals, belugas, bowhead whales, and Arctic seabirds in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas and adjacent coastal areas. Arctic Community Wildlife Grants address community concerns and achieve meaningful outcomes for the conservation of Arctic wildlife and the people who depend on them.
WWF’s Arctic Community Wildlife Grants support communities and help species
The Arctic Biodiversity Initiative grant from WWF Global Arctic Programme helped support this project where Alaska Beluga Whale Committee delegates from the villages of Kotlik and Emmonak partnered with Manuel Castellote, an acoustician affiliated with NOAA Fisheries and the University of Washington, to monitor the beluga whale populations.
The idea blossomed into a fully-fledged pilot project that offered results within a year. Discover more about the power of entwining Indigenous knowledge with Western scientific research and how communities and researchers can design projects that support shared interests.
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