Local Environmental Observer Network
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Local Environmental Observer Network the eyes, ears and voice of environmental change Our world is changing rapidly, and local observers can detect subtle changes in weather, landscapes and seascapes, and in plant and animal communities. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) developed the LEO Network in 2009, recognizing the value of local and traditional knowledge and the need for a tool to document and share environmental observations. The purpose was to increase awareness about vulnerabilities and impacts from climate change, and to connect community members with technical experts. LEO uses web-accessible Google Maps to display observations of unusual or unique environmental events which are then shared with LEO members. The maps contain event descriptions, photos, expert consultations and links to information resources. LEO has grown to include hundreds of participants and is helping to increase understanding about the emerging effects of climate change. CIRCUMPOLAR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVER NETWORK (CLEO) Under the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (AC), partners in the Council’s Arctic Contaminants Action Programme (ACAP) workgroup and its subsidiary Indigenous Peoples Contaminants Action Programme (IPCAP) are building on the success of the LEO network in Alaska and developing the foundation for a Circumpolar Local Environmental Observer (CLEO) network. Using funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation, ACAP IPCAP members are working with communities in western Canada to establish new LEO observer communities and regional hubs that would lead to a North American regional CLEO network. Following the successful development of a CLEO chapter in North America, project partners will develop a framework for expanding the CLEO Network into other areas of the Arctic. In June 2016, communities in the Fenno-Scandinavian region will participate in the first workshop on expanding the CLEO beyond North America. Experienced observers and technical experts from North America will meet with communities from the Fenno-Scandinavian region, some who participate in observation networks in their region, to learn about the observer networks and to develop the framework for LEO expansion. The results of this workshop will summarize existing TEK/TLEK community based observation systems in both the US and Finland, mechanisms for connecting TEK to outside technical experts, and identify any gaps that the CLEO project could work to fill. The deliverables to Senior Arctic Officials and Ministers will be: the establishment of the first CLEO Hub in Canadian Arctic and the framework for expansion document that describes future opportunities to expand CLEO across the Arctic. The workshop will take place in Inari, Finland hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Finnish Ministry of Environment, the United States Department of State, and the Sami Cultural Center in Sajos. NEW LEO TECHNOLOGY The LEO Network is excited to announce the launch of LEO Reporter, a new mobile app for handheld devices. LEO Reporter is a global map and data interface. It allows observers to post observations through text, audio, and imagery that will be posted to the LEO network. LEO Reporter was designed and tested in rural Alaska to provide robust field reporting capabilities even in the most remote areas. With LEO Reporter, anyone can post an observation, anywhere in the world. Observations taken from locations outside cell service, will automatically upload once service is re-established. The app includes interactive maps, a search engine to explore the LEO observation database and optional observations updates from the Network. You can also engage with topic experts and become part of a broader observer community. LEO Reporter puts powerful, user-friendly, mobile technology in the hands of the user, enabling real-time observations on the front lines of climate change. LEO Reporter follows the success of the LEO viewer A LEO Network Map mobile app, which allows users to experience the posts and observations of LEO users. The LEO Reporter is now available for the iPhone and Android phones. CONSULTATIONS- BUILDING TEK and TLEK BRIDGES Community experts provide the local and traditional knowledge component of a consult. There are two types of experts that provide consultations: community experts and technical experts. Community experts ground-truth observations and provide consults based on local and traditional knowledge. They monitor LEO observations locally and regionally, provide consults, and act as points-of-contact. Tribal and community environmental managers participate throughout Alaska as community experts, as well as observers and often as technical experts. Posts are selected for technical consults based on their importance as indicators of change, as well as relevance to trending topics or the need for technical assistance. LEO observer in Western Alaska Observers receive a notice when their observation is selected for a consult. LEO Hubs are the regional coordination centers for LEO Network. The Alaska hub CONTACTS: is the Center for Climate and Health at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. AC CLEO Project US EPA Project Lead: Santina It is also the nerve center for the broader LEO Network, where the maps and Gay, [email protected] databases are housed. New regional hubs (in Canada and elsewhere?) will have the AC CLEO Project US EPA Project Leadt: capacity to review posts, select posts for a formal consult, facilitate communication Patrick Huber, [email protected] with community and technical experts and provide technical assistance. Hubs may For general questions about ACAP’s work and also choose to provide other services such as hosting regional webinars, publishing its CLEO Project: Hodayah Finman, [email protected] e-journals and providing updates to LEO and other groups, organizations and networks. ANTHC Project Lead: Mike Brubaker [email protected] Technical experts provide the science component of a consult. They are usually ANTHC Project Lead: Desirae Roehl located in government agencies, academic institutions or organizations that are [email protected] topic experts. Regional hubs provide leadership in identifying technical experts, based on topic expertise, and the interest and capacity of these organizations to Primary funding for LEO Network has been participate. Consultations provided by community and technical experts are added provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. to complete the map posts. The observers, community experts and technical experts participating in specific topic posts, become a ‘community of practice’ who can collaborate on monitoring, research, publications other types of outreach. For more information, please visit www.leonetwork.org or email [email protected]. REPORT FROM THE 2ND WORKSHOP ON THE CIRCUMPOLAR ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVATION NETWORK (CLEO) KIRUNA, SWEDEN 16-17TH OF JANUARY 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of acronyms and abbreviations used in the report .......................................................................... 2 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................... 3 1. Background ...................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1. LEO - The Local Environment Observation Network in North America ....................................... 4 1.2. Further development of LEO into CLEO - a Circumpolar Local Environmental Observation Network ............................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Preparatory Activities for the 2nd CLEO Workshop in Kiruna .......................................................... 4 3. Presentations and discussions during the 2nd CLEO Workshop .......................................................... 5 3.1. Update from the 1st CLEO-workshop in Inari, Finland .................................................................. 5 3.2. Presentations on current environmental problems in Sápmi ...................................................... 5 3.3. Round table discussion about CLEO´s future - Examples of activities which can develop LEO to CLEO .................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.4. Conclusions and Way Forward ..................................................................................................... 9 4. Recommendations for Further Activities on CLEO in Sápmi ............................................................. 10 5. Next steps .......................................................................................................................................... 11 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................... 13 1 List of acronyms and abbreviations used in the report AACA S. 6 ACAP Arctic Contaminants Action Program, CAFF S. 6 CLEO Circumpolar Local Environmental Observer Network CLIFF S. 7 DNA S. 8 EPA s. 4 GPS S. 7 IBCC S. 6 ICT network S.6 IPCAP S. 4 LEO Local Environment Observation Network (in North America) LKAB Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Ltd (Swedish Mining Company) NGO:s Non-Governmental Organisation Ottawa TK Traditional Knowledge