Arctic Council

At the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting held in Fairbanks, Alaska in May 2017, member states (Canada, Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States) adopted an aspirational goal to collectively reduce black carbon emissions by at least 25-33 percent below 2013 levels by 2025. The recommendation was based on the Council’s Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane. Arctic Council countries report emissions to this expert group, which issues a detailed report with recommendations every two years. EGBCM's Third Summary of Progress and Recommendations was released May 2021.

The AMAP Working Group under the Council has an Expert Group on Short-Lived Climate Forcers, which prepares scientific assessments and summaries for policy makers of the latest scientific information. In May 2021 AMAP published Impacts of Short-lived Climate Forcers on Artic Climate Change, Air Quality, and Human Health. Summary for Policy Makers.

The ACAP Working Group has developed a Black Carbon Case Studies Platform to facilitate sharing of insights and best practices across the region. ACAP has also published several reports about specific measures to reduce black carbon emissions from sources within the Arctic, including gas flaring.

The PAME Working Group (Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment) works specifically on mitigating risks associated with the use and carriage of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) by vessels in the Arctic which emit black carbon emissions.

The EUA-BCA has worked closely with the Arctic Council, and specifically with the above working groups and expert groups, in support of activities to reduce black carbon emissions and meet or exceed the aspirational goal.