Project Summary
Climate-driven landscape change and ongoing infrastructure development are leading to air pollution concerns across the Arctic, including Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). Air quality can be impacted by natural or manmade sources of dust and has been identified as of concern to Qeqqata Kommunia municipality. New road infrastructure between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq will open in 2025, with the potential to change local air quality. Concerns have been raised regarding the environmental effects of road development on a UNESCO World Heritage Site/ culturally significant wildlife harvesting sites, and associated health impacts on residents. To address local concerns and facilitate future sustainable development of the area, an environmental monitoring network is required to assess current and future changes in air quality. Initial information from low-cost air quality monitors set up along the ATV trail will help to inform future development of a locally driven observing network along the new road. Outreach meetings will bring together local residents and researchers to co-develop priorities and protocols for further development monitoring infrastructure along the trail in a way that can support community and citizen science research approaches. Doing so could disentangle the effects from different dust sources along the route, help to identify the potential impacts of dust on human health and inform sustainable development planning.
Date and Location
Spring 2025 at Sisimiut, Greenland
IASC Working Group funding the Project:
AWG
Project Leaders:
Louise Mercer (Northumbria University, UK) (contact: louise.mercer@northumbria.ac.uk)
Year funded by IASC:
2024