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The North Pole’s floating
ice-reef habitat is disappearing

Arctic Ocean biodiversity

& ecosystem services are at risk

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* Representing annual summer sea ice extent

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Commercial vessels:
Bring impacts, stressors & risks
to an undisturbed ecosystem

As the floating sea-ice cover recedes to create a newly-accessible ocean, the unique biodiversity within the Arctic Ocean – already compromised by the loss of its sea-ice habitat – now faces the impacts, stressors and risks caused by newly-possible commercial vessel activity.

The most biologically active (ie uppermost) layer of these waters is experiencing warming, acidification, and salinity changes, significantly faster than anywhere else on Earth, due to global greenhouse emissions and the regional processes that drive the Arctic Amplification Effect.

The direct impacts, and resulting stressors, generated by commercial fishing, transboundary shipping, cruise-ship tourism, and hydrocarbon/mineral mining put at heightened risk the sustainability of the Arctic Ocean’s biodiversity, and the life-supporting  ecosystem services this biodiversity provides to the global public.

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Proposed solution: Protect this undisturbed global commons for the global public’s benefit

As the world’s northernmost high seas region, the Central Arctic Ocean (CAO) is a global commons with unique geophysical, oceanographic and zoological characteristics, and a resulting ecosystem that has remained undisturbed throughout human history. However with its waters increasingly accessible to commercial vessels – and the impacts, stressors and risks they pose to the region’s biodiversity – only internationally-agreed conservation measures can minimise these risks to an already-stressed ecosystem as the sea-ice habitat recedes.

90 North Foundation’s proposed solution, underpinned by scientific research, is to catalyse agreement for a comprehensive suite of conservation measures for the CAO through an international treaty, resulting in the establishment of a North Pole Marine Reserve (aka CAO Marine Reserve).

Encircled by the Arctic’s coastal states and their respective Exclusive Economic Zones, the CAO covers 2.8 million square kilometres and includes the North Geographic Pole. The proposed treaty would create the world’s largest and most iconic marine reserve, providing an appropriate level of conservation protection for the region’s biodiversity and ecosystem services.

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"With your support we will establish the North Pole Marine Reserve for the global public benefit."

Marine research, public education and conservation advocacy are now urgently needed to protect the region’s threatened wildlife, habitat and ecosystem services.

In a partnership with the 90 North Foundation, the University of Exeter’s world-class marine research faculty has set up the Arctic Ocean Research Unit. Its purpose is to research the risks to the region’s biodiversity and ecosystem services – and the solution.

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Pen Hadow
Arctic Explorer & Conservationist

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