The Forgotten Arctic
Aberdeen
All northern hemisphere whales under the responsibility of the IWC are dependent on the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. However the Arctic is subject to an exploitation of natural resources which is becoming more and more intense.
One of the AEPS (Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy) working groups stated in its 1996 report that “issues of concern in the Arctic are : the past dumping of radioactive wastes ; the possible future dumping of liquid radioactive wastes ; the potential of future dumping of contaminated dredged materials for increased shipping activities ; and the possibility of future dumping associated with the potential growth of Arctic towns and cities.”