Dear Colleagues,

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13, highlights the urgent need to take action to combat climate change, while SDG 14, emphasizes the need to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. This therefore calls for urgent action to protect our oceans and other water bodies from pollution. In the Arctic, the increase in temperature over the years has led to a higher rate of ice melting due to global warming. This phenomenon also means that previously ice-covered waters in the Arctic have gradually become ice free and presenting opportunities for shipping and natural resource exploration. Already there is substantial work on-going in the Northern Sea Route and the North-West Passage is also likely to follow suite. With these comes the risk of accidents from shipping and resource exploration, production, and transport. This means there is a likelihood of an oil spill in the Arctic and if this happens, the consequences on the Arctic marine ecosystem is dire.

This special issue therefore seeks to solicite papers for publication related to environmental, social, economic, and psychological impact of pollutants in the Arctic as a result of climate change. Works would include research articles, review articles, and short communications.

SDG 13 and 14 highlights the urgent need to combat climate change and also protect our oceans. Oil and gas production as well as shipping in the Arctic are both likely to contribute to climate change and also pollute the Arctic ocean. The overall focus of this special issue is to compile papers that would help inform policy for dealing with the climate change in the Arctic and protection of the Arctic ocean from pollutants like oil. Papers would therefore cover policy research for climate change and pollution prevention, accident modeling, ecosystem analysis, emergency response, oil spill consequences in the Arctic, and many more.

This issue will further supplement current literature in that there is limited work on the tools required to make an informed decision in terms of planning, response, mitigation and design of regulations for pollutants especially in indigenous associated areas.

Dr. Mawuli Afenyo
Prof. Adolf K.Y. Ng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• sustainable development
• oil spills
• Arctic
• transportation
• safety
• risk