© WWF Global Arctic Programme
ARCNET
Melting sea ice is transforming the Arctic Ocean. A warming climate and growing industrial development threaten this vulnerable and rapidly changing part of the world. Globally important marine life is increasingly at risk in this unique ecosystem that provides food, livelihoods and cultural identity for people living in the Arctic.
An Arctic Ocean Network of Priority Areas for Conservation (ArcNet) is a network of priority areas for marine conservation that spans the entire Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. Conserving these ecosystems strengthens the resilience of Arctic biodiversity in the face of a rapidly changing climate. The long-term health of the Arctic’s marine biodiversity contributes to the global well being of nature and people.
What is ArcNet?
- ArcNet is a map that shows the vision for a network of priority areas that governments and communities need to conserve throughout the Arctic Ocean. ArcNet is also a concrete proposal and tool for marine planning and management.
- The ArcNet-approach first considers the region’s marine ecosystems and how they function, and then suggests the best way forward to support a healthy and biodiverse Arctic.
- The network is based on comprehensive, rigorous scientific analysis and best-available data that can be accessed through an extensive database of marine life.
- The approach is transparent and can be reproduced with a set of tools to support open and inclusive cooperation between governments and marine stakeholders as they work together to establish priority areas for conservation.
- An opportunity for ongoing engagement that establishes, adjusts and manages the network over time as the Arctic and its marine life adapt to rapid change.
© WWF
ArcNet helps meet ambitious national and international targets to protect and conserve at least 30 per cent of the planet by 2030.
© naturepl.com / Doug Allan / WWF
A guide to ArcNet
An Arctic Ocean Network of Priority Areas for Conservation
© Staffan Widstrand / WWF
The Arctic’s unique ecosystems provide food, livelihoods and cultural identity for the 4 million people living in the region. Maintaining a healthy and diverse web of life in the Arctic, from zooplankton to fish, whales and seabirds, contributes to the well-being of nature and people around the world.
How to help build ArcNet
Arctic governments need to be good stewards of the Arctic Ocean and establish the priority areas for conservation identified by ArcNet. They should apply an inclusive, ArcNet-approach to creating networks of protected and conserved marine areas.
A diversity of perspectives and values needs to be reflected in the network’s design and planning. ArcNet is an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration amongst all the region’s marine stakeholders. To be successful, participation is required from marine scientists, holders of Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge, marine managers, conservation professionals, the marine industry and Arctic peoples in general.
The project will require new data, knowledge and ways to assess the network’s effectiveness in the coming months and years. Industry can also help by developing new guidelines and standards to improve conservation outcomes.
What's happening?
© WWF/Henry Harrison
Canada
Using both scientific and Indigenous knowledge, the Canadian Arctic Marine Priority Areas for Conservation (CanPAC), identifies priority conservation areas that support the development of a network of Arctic marine protected areas in Canada and connect into a broader pan-Arctic system. WWF-Canada began to examine the protection of areas in the Arctic Basin, Arctic Archipelago, Eastern Arctic and Hudson Bay Complex marine bioregions in 2017.
Be a part of ArcNet
To become a part of ArcNet, please contact us at ArcNetinfo@arcticwwf.org.
