The Arctic region is facing significant threats from climate change and pollution, including plastics, ship emissions, and wastewater. These factors not only impact the environment but also pose risks to human health and the ecosystems in the area. Recognizing the urgency of addressing these issues, Oulu University in northern Finland has taken the lead in a research project called ICEBERG, which aims to study ocean and coastal pollution and its effects on ecosystems and local communities over the next three years.
The ICEBERG project is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together researchers from 16 partner organizations with expertise in toxicology, social science, biogeochemistry, and environmental science. The primary goals of the project are to develop resilience strategies to combat pollution and climate change through community engagement and to create policy recommendations for better pollution control.
Field research for the ICEBERG project will be conducted in three Arctic locations: western Svalbard, northern Iceland, and southern Greenland. These locations were chosen due to their vulnerability to the harmful effects of climate change and pollution. They share similarities in terms of small community sizes and reliance on livelihoods such as fisheries and tourism, which have been impacted by the surge in Arctic tourism in recent years.
In Svalbard, field research began in June and will continue until October. Researchers are focusing on collecting data to analyze various pollutants, including marine litter, microplastics, chemicals, and heavy metals, both on land and in the ocean. The study sites in Svalbard include Ny-Ålesund in Northern Spitsbergen, Longyearbyen, Sørkappland in Southern Spitsbergen, and the Fram Strait between Greenland and Svalbard.
One of the key areas of research in Svalbard is the collection of marine litter off the shore of Sørkappland, which is a potential accumulation zone for ocean waste brought by currents from lower latitudes. Researchers are also investigating heavy metal contamination in soil and freshwater samples to understand the impact of human activities on the ecosystem. Additionally, research teams are studying micro- and nanoplastic particles in the Fram Strait to assess their potential impact on Arctic ecosystems.
Collaboration with local communities is a crucial aspect of the ICEBERG project, with fieldwork in Iceland and Greenland set to begin in August. The focus will be on citizen participation and engagement with Indigenous and local communities to develop monitoring strategies and mitigation solutions tailored to address local needs and concerns. Schools and interested citizens will be involved in tracking pollution using drones, and a mapping platform will be launched for citizens to report their observations.
The ICEBERG project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, is set to continue until the end of 2026. By bringing together experts from various fields and engaging with local communities, the project aims to generate valuable insights into Arctic pollution and climate change, ultimately leading to the development of effective strategies for conservation and sustainability in the region.