change and such new groups as ‘Feedbacks from
a major volume divided into disciplinary chapters
Arctic Terrestrial Ecosystems (FATE)’ were formed.
with some integrating chapters. This work should
Also, regional assessments of climate change were
not be a textbook but should focus on observed
initiated such as assessments of the Barents Re-
and predicted changes. The consequences of these
gion (Integrated Regional Impact Studies in the Eu-
changes for the peoples of the Arctic and the global
ropean North—IRISEN and the Barents Sea Impact
community would be integrated in chapters at the
Study—BASIS), the Bering Sea Impact Assessment
end of the book, leading to a sequence of chapters
(BESIS) and the McKenzie Delta Assessment. By the
from climate and UV changes, through impacts
late 1990s, early concerns about the rapidly chang-
on the cryosphere and ecosystems, to impacts on
ing Arctic were being confirmed by observations of
land management and consequences for people.
glacier dynamics by researchers and other observa-
In addition to this major volume, a popular science
tions by Arctic residents. In addition, the Antarctic
summary document would be prepared by a profes-
Ozone Hole had been discovered in 1985 and the
sional popular science writer and there would be
UN Expert Panels had been convened (1988) to
other products such as an ACIA film and brochure
assess stratospheric ozone depletion and its im-
as well as an international conference to launch the
pacts. Researchers expected that environmental
assessment.
and health problems would be particularly severe in
the Arctic as well as in the Antarctic. To address the
It was also decided that the report would be ex-
concerns about changing climate and UV-B radia-
tremely rigorous with the same standard of writing,
tion, a joint meeting between IASC, AMAP and CAFF
review, and response to review as IPCC had estab-
was held in April 1999 and an IASC proposal for an
lished. The entire work was to be led by a coordi-
assessment was used as the basis for discussion.
nator (R.W. Corell), a Steering Committee and an
A revised version of the proposal was then submit-
Assessment Integration Team supported by a Sec-
ted to the Arctic Council and the IASC Council for
retariat in Fairbanks, Alaska. Each chapter was led by
approval. ACIA was formally approved by the AC in
an international team of lead authors selected from
October 2000 as a joint project between the Arctic
open nominations provided by AMAP, CAFF, IASC,
Council and IASC.
the Indigenous Peoples Secretariat, the Assessment Steering Committee, and several national and
The ACIA Process
The ACIA approach developed from the three ex-
lead authors and IASC´s contacts and quality con-
isting regional assessment projects for the Barents
trol, contributing authors were identified to write
Region, Bering Sea area and the Mackenzie Delta,
minor sections or paragraphs. Mainly because of the
together with an initial assessment by AMAP in
increasingly important recognition of the roles of In-
1998. The experiences from the regional assess-
digenous Peoples and other Arctic residents within
ments, together with an AMAP draft plan based on
the Arctic Council, chapter authors were encouraged
its initial pan-Arctic climate change review, provid-
to involve perceptions of Indigenous Peoples. This
ed the foundation for planning the future ACIA. At
led to some tokenism, whereby a particular quota-
one of the first ACIA scientific meetings in 2000,
tion by an Indigenous Person would head a chapter,
it was agreed that ACIA would have a circumarctic
but more importantly, traditional knowledge was
assessment with integration of findings for four
incorporated with science knowledge, probably for
Arctic regions (I—North-east Greenland, Fennos-
the first time in a major assessment, and a young
candia, and the European Russian Arctic; II—Central
social anthropologist played an important role in
Siberia; III—Eastern Siberia and Alaska; IV—Canada
the terrestrial ecosystems chapter. Later, the suc-
and West and Central Greenland). During the meet-
cess of combining the two knowledge systems (in
ing and soon afterward, a structure for the work
some chapters) led to a publication in the scientif-
emerged, and the modus operandi. There would be
48
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international organizations. With the help of these
ic literature1 and a commendation by the Chair of
02 IASC Initiatives