The Arctic is home to almost four million people today – Indigenous people, more recent arrivals, hunters and herders living on the land, and city dwellers.
The Arctic is home to more than 21,000 known species of highly cold-adapted mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, plants and fungi and microbes.
The temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise at three times the global annual average.
The Arctic States hold a responsibility to safeguard the future development of the region and to develop models for stewardship of the marine environment.
The Arctic environment carries the traces of human-induced pollution – from soot to plastics, from methane to pesticides.
Harsh conditions and limited infrastructure in much of the Arctic increase risks and impacts and hinder response activities.