Summary
Increasing levels of chemical contamination in the Antarctica environment are resulting from global and regional human activities. Unlike other areas of the world, Antarctica lacks continent-wide systematic and coordinated monitoring of contaminants. Germany, Italy, Australia, United Kingdom, United States of America and Sweden recommended that the CEP: 1. request SCAR, in particular SCARs ImPACT Action Group, to consider the outcomes of the Expert Workshop 'Act now – Legacy and Emerging Contaminants in Polar Regions' and the report 'Emerging and legacy organic contaminants in the polar regions'; 2. request SCAR to submit recommendations to CEP XXV on how a more systematic sampling and data collection of chemical contamination in the Antarctic could be delivered, including by taking the objectives detail in this report into consideration; and 3. encourages Parties to intensify cooperation between all stakeholders, e.g., National Antarctic Programs, National Competent authorities and Environmental Specimen Banks, to initiate a more structured sample and data collection of environmental contamination in the Antarctic.