Unleashing Power for Arctic Survival: A Closer Look at EU's Arctic PASSION Project
Enhancements to Arctic Environmental Surveillance Equipment
When it comes to combating the swift environmental changes swiftly transforming the Arctic, the EU-backed Arctic PASSION project is a game-changer. Here's a lowdown on two of its most groundbreaking services:
- AURORAE - Air Quality Warning System: Alarm bells ringing about air pollution? No problem! AURORAE, the brainchild of the JRC, offers a user-friendly platform that provides real-time air quality monitoring and two-day forecasts concerning particulate matter (PM10) levels. It's designed especially for community stakeholders and alert citizen concerned about Arctic air quality. The platform features an interactive map pinpointing each monitoring station, color-coded to indicate the air quality level (from good to unhealthy). Users can delve deeper into historical trends and minute-by-minute forecasts for specific spots, with data downloadable in text format for easy reference. And if you've got questions, AURORAE dispatches daily bulletins that provide a clear overview of pollutant levels across Northern Europe and Arctic communities, empowering residents to make health-conscious decisions on the go.
- INFRA - Fire Risk Mitigation Strategy: Fire threats looming on the horizon in your neck of the woods? INFRA, short for Integrated Fire Risk Management, has your back. Developed by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), INFRA fills a critical void in wildfire data delivery by catering to the unique needs of local populations. This service manages diverse data on wildfires and sparks off tailored alerts for municipalities and indigenous communities across Northern Europe, Canada, and Yakutia. At its core, INFRA runs on two key components: INFRA-AEGIS, an integrated web-GIS platform that assimilates multiple layers of wildfire data, and INFRA-SENTRY, an alert distribution system adhering to the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Standard - an international format for emergency alerting and public warnings. What sets INFRA apart is its focus on local operations and making complex wildfire data palatable for non-scientific users. By bolstering the information chain aimed at community-level stakeholders, INFRA aims to nurture a more responsive risk management culture in the Arctic.
Ready for change? Armed with these convenient, user-friendly tools, Arctic communities can brace themselves for an uncertain climate, better adapting to environmental pressures, and bolstering their emergency response capabilities.
As the Arctic warms at a dizzying pace - three times faster than the global average - it's been battling issues such as permafrost melt, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The EU has taken the lead in countering these threats, establishing comprehensive frameworks like the European Green Deal, EU Arctic Policy, and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. These initiatives champion scientific research, international cooperation, and innovation, all with the goal of safeguarding the Arctic's delicate ecosystems and communities while promoting sustainable development.
Dive in, learn more about the Arctic PASSION project, and discover how it's setting the Arctic on a greener, more resilient path.
Related Resources
- Arctic PASSION project's Website
- Arctic PASSION: Exploring wildfires and air quality forecasting (webinar)
- The JRC's role in the Arctic
- The AURORAE platform, part of the Arctic PASSION project, offers real-time data on Arctic air quality, emphasizing health-and-wellness in its user-friendly design.
- The Arctic PASSION project's INFRA service addresses wildfire risks by providing tailored alerts based on environmental science and climate-change data, to aid in emergency response and community-level risk management.
- The EU's Arctic PASSION project focuses on mapping biodiversity loss and various environmental factors to foster a greener and more resilient Arctic, in alignment with the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
- By delivering user-friendly tools like AURORAE and INFRA, the Arctic PASSION project empowers communities to adapt to the environmental changes brought about by climate-change and enhance their emergency preparedness.
- The Arctic PASSION project aims to combat environmental issues faced by the Arctic, such as pollution and permafrost melt, through collaborative efforts in science, research, and innovation, as outlined in the European Green Deal and the EU Arctic Policy.
