The Arctic in the proposed "Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning" of the U.S. Ocean Policy Task Force

On December 14, 2009, the U.S. Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released a proposed "Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning" (dated December 9, 2009).  The Framework is now open for a 60-day public comment period, through Friday, February 12, 2010.*  As discussed in an earlier entry, the Task Force issued an Interim Report in September 2009, as part of its mandate to work towards a national Ocean Policy.

Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, or CMSP, is one of the nine priority areas identified in the September 2009 Interim Report (so are "Changing Conditions in the Arctic - see p. 6 of that Report). Of CMSP, the proposed Interim Framework states: "CMSP is a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning process, based on sound science, for analyzing current and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas."

The proposed Interim Framework contains at least two points relevant to the Arctic:

1.   ALASKAN LMEs.  The proposed Framework adopts Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) as the basic planning unit for CMSP.  Alaska is assigned five - almost half - of the eleven LMEs that the Framework identifies in U.S. ocean and coastal waters.  The five Alaskan LMEs are the West Bering Sea, East Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and the Gulf of Alaska.  As the Framework states in footnote 3: "Given the geographic breadth and multiple LME’s encompassed by the Alaska/Arctic Region, there would be flexibility to develop sub-regional CMS Plans (e.g., Arctic CMS Plan and Gulf of Alaska CMS Plan)."

 
 2.  SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION and TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE.  The Task Force says of the proposed Framework that "Scientific data, information and knowledge, as well as relevant traditional knowledge, will be the underpinning of the regionally developed plans."

* To make a comment on the proposed Interim Framework, visit the Task Force website comment submission page, which may take a few seconds to load.

SCAR releases "Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment"

Those working on issues relating to the Arctic know of the tremendous influence the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) has had far beyond the Arctic since its release in 2004 by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the Arctic Council.  A southern hemisphere equivalent has now been published.


In a December 1, 2009, press release the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) publicizes one of its major contributions to the International Polar Year 2007-2008: Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE).  Although the report was printed in October in order to be delivered to heads of delegation in advance of the 15th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change, and parts have been published as scientific papers (in Reviews of Geophysics, January 2009), the electronic version is now being publicized broadly.


Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment was edited by Turner, J., Bindschadler, R.A., Convey, P., Di Prisco, G., Fahrbach, E., Gutt, J., Hodgson, D.A., Mayewski, P.A., and Summerhayes, C.P.

As publicity materials indicate, "the report is available from the ACCE page of the SCAR website at http://www.scar.org/publications/occasionals/acce.html, along with copies of the press release, and a document detailing the main 10 points from the report."

US Navy issues "Arctic Road Map"

Announced earlier this year, the U.S. Navy has now published its "Arctic Road Map."  

The Oceanographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral David Titley, discussed plans for the Roadmap at the Naval Academy last June, as part of the 3rd Symposium on the Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations (his presentation is available at the symposium website).  The road map was produced by the Navy's "Task Force Climate Change," (highlighted on National Public Radio in July 2009) which collaborates with the US Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Arctic Council Working Groups and NOAA issue annual Arctic Report Card for 2009

An international group of scientists contributed to the peer-reviewed annual Arctic Report Card, issued this month under the auspices of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and working groups within the Arctic Council -- the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP),  Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), and Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP).  The Report Card summary notes the following key points for 2009:

"Atmosphere
Large scale wind patterns impacted by loss of summer sea ice

Sea Ice
Multi-year sea ice is being replaced by first year sea ice

Ocean
Upper ocean remains warm and less salty

Land
Increased runoff in Siberia, less snow in North America

Greenland
Ice sheet loss continues

Biology
High Arctic species impacted by loss of sea ice"

The Report Card contains sections on Atmosphere, Sea Ice Cover, Ocean, Land, Permafrost, Terrestrial Snow, Glaciers outside Greenland, Greenland, Biology, The State of Wild Reindeer Herds, Marine Mammals, Murres, Fisheries in the Bering Sea, The State of the Barents Sea Ecosystem, The State of Char in the Arctic, and Goose Populations.  Peer review is conducted by topical experts of the Climate Experts Group (AMAP) of the Arctic Council.

The full report, Richter-Menge, J., and J.E. Overland, Eds., 2009: Arctic Report Card 2009, http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard, can be downloaded in PDF form.