Reykjavik, 22-23 November 2023
Plastic pollution of the world´s oceans is of ever-growing concern. It is a well-known fact that plastic litter is found literally everywhere in our environment and the eventual sink for plastic waste are the world´s oceans. Even in the remote Arctic region plastic pollution has been found widely. There is now a great urgency for actions to stem the plastic tide into the sea. Recently the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a broad negotiating mandate for a new legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution. The new agreement is expected to include provisions to promote national and international cooperative measures to reduce plastic pollution in the marine environment.
Scientific research and studies into plastic pollution in the marine environment have been growing fast in the last couple of decades. It is important that we take full advantage of our best knowledge when we look for solutions to the problem. In March 2021 Iceland and the Nordic Council of Ministers hosted a successful first symposium on the matter where participants unanimously called for a follow up in near future.
For these reasons, the Government of Iceland with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers will host a Second International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region in Harpa, Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Center, 22-23 November 2023. The aim is to gather science and local knowledge on plastic pollution and discuss ways and means to reduce the impact of plastics on the Arctic marine ecosystems. Although the focus will be on the Arctic and near Arctic regions, presentations and discussions at the symposium will have a strong relevance to the global challenge.
The work to select and appoint a high-level scientific committee is underway. The Scientific committee will assist in developing the symposium themes and agenda. A more detailed timeline and a call for abstracts will be available soon.
Image: Christian Bruttel (Spitzbergen Reisen AS)