Polar regions should be given greater consideration with respect to chemical monitoring, chemicals risk assessment, and management, consistent with requirements of the precautionary principle. Protecting the vulnerable polar environments requires (i) restricting and preventing global emissions at their sources and (ii) raising political and public awareness. The Berlin Statement is the outcome of an international workshop with representatives of the European Commission, the Arctic Council, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), environmental specimen banks, and data centers, as well as scientists from various international research institutions. The statement addresses urgent chemical pollution issues in the polar regions and provides recommendations for improving screening, monitoring, risk assessment, research cooperation, and open data sharing to provide environmental policy makers and chemicals management decision-makers with relevant and reliable contaminant data to better protect the polar environments. The consensus reached at the workshop can be summarized in just two words: “Act now!”

EBINGHAUS Ralf;  BARBARO Elena;  BENGTSON NASH Susan;  DE AVILA Cristina;  DE WIT Cynthia;  DULIO Valeria;  FELDEN Janine;  FRANCO Antonio;  GANDRASS Juergen;  GROTTI Marco;  HERATA Heike;  HUGHES Kevin;  JARTUN Morten;  JOERSS Hanna;  KALLENBORN Roland;  KOSCHORRECK Jan;  KÜSTER Anette;  LOHMANN R.;  WANG Zhanyun;  MACLEOD Matthew;  REBECCA Pugh;  RAUERT Caren;  SLOBODNIK Jaroslav;  SÜHRING Roxana;  VORKAMP K;  XIE Zhiyong; 

2023-04-20

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC131807

0045-6535 (online),   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004565352300797X,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC131807,   

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138530 (online),