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Limits of acceptable change from local activities in Ny-Ålesund

Gunnar Sander, senior advisor, Norwegian Polar Institute. Limits of acceptable change from local activities in Ny-Ålesund. Ministry of Trade and Industry in white paper 2011.

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Limits of acceptable change from local activities in Ny-Ålesund

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  1. Gunnar Sander, senior advisor, Norwegian Polar Institute Limits of acceptable change from local activities in Ny-Ålesund

  2. Ministryof Trade and Industry in whitepaper 2011 ” Ny-Ålesund shall be a green research station, which requires that Kings Bay ensures that the measures necessary for reducing the environmental impact from the activities in the Ny-Ålesund area are being reduced to a minimum. Further growth in research must take place within responsible environmental limits.” Used also in Kings Bay strategy

  3. EIA 1998 initiated by NySMAC • 10 technical studies • Analysedimpactsontheenvironment and onthe research activities • Significantimpactsoccured • Environmental Action Programme 12 points, i.a: * Upperprecautionary limit on # activities/people* Environmentalmonitoringprogramme to measureeffectivenessof EAP

  4. EIA 2006: an update Desk-top study without budget No data on the environ-ment due to lack of monitoring Indirect signs of change: * measures implemented, * activities at the station Updated Environmental Action Programme

  5. Main conclusion: Systematic environmental work is needed Still not in place – 16 years after EIA 1998 Where are we? Where are we going? A broad effort is needed to get this framework in place. «Limits of...» can give contributions • Set objectivesthatarespecific • Monitor performance • Assessmonitoringresultstowardsobjectives • Update theEnvironmental Action Programme A rotating system

  6. Why has not more happened? Twosuggestions: • Unclearresponsibilities(Governor)NySMAC – Kings Bay – NPI • Lackofresourcesdedicated to environmentalwork

  7. Procedural improvements Analysis of alternatives and impacts also for smaller initiatives * For infrastructure in Kings Bay * For science projects: How does the current system for review in NySMAC work? «Mini EIAs» – ref Antarctica Cost-benefit analysis when costs go beyond Kings Bay budgets: benefits to science/environment compared to monetary and other costs

  8. From precuationary measures to knowledge based management • «Set a precuationaryupper limit on total activity/numberofpeople» (EIA 98) • No simple linkagebetweenanynumber and impacts • Need to analyse specificstationactivities and specificsensitivities • Results from EIAscompared to anticipated later developments led to selecting: * Air qualityvs air measurements* Vegetation* Birdsfor further studies in «Limits ofacceptablechange»

  9. Limits of acceptable change: 3 sub-projects under joint coordination • How the local human activities in Ny-Ålesund affect environmental and scientific interests or qualities • How can impacts from local activities be measured –indicators/parameters for a monitoring programme • Alternative objectives for what are acceptable conditions, preferably with related target values for the state of the indicators. Recommendations • Measures in order to reach the desired objectives/target values. • Research needs for better understanding of local impacts

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