Alaska Wilderness League *Association of Journalists-Environmentalists of the Russian Union of Journalists * Biodiversity Center of Russia of the Socio-Ecological Union * Bellona Foundation * Earthjustice * Friends of the Earth Norway * The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation * Greenpeace * International Institute for Environment and Development * Landvernd (Icelandic Environment Association) * Natural Resources Defense Council *Pacific Environment * Wetlands International * WWF-Global Arctic Programme   Minister Peter Kent, Canada, minister@ec.gc.ca Minister Ida Auken, Denmark, mim@mim.dk; info@mim.dk Minister Svandis Svavardsdottir, Iceland, postur@environment.is Minister Bård Vegar Solhjell, Norway, miljovernministeren@md.dep.no Minister Ville Niinisto, Finland, ville.niinisto@ymparisto.fi Minister Sergei Donskoi, The Russian Federation, admin@cbi-mpr.ru Minister Lena Ek: Sweden; via website at: www.government.se/sb/d/2151 Lisa Jackson, Administrator, jackson.lisap@epa.gov ; Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, perciasepe.bob@epa.gov, United States of America

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4 February 2013 Dear Arctic Environment Ministers, We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations, write to urge you to use the occasion of the historic second meeting of Arctic environment ministers to strongly encourage Arctic states to take significant action to reduce emissions of black carbon. Last year the Arctic experienced record melting of both summer sea ice and the Greenland Ice Sheet and land glaciers, with grave implications for Arctic peoples and biodiversity, and for low-lying nations and communities around the world. While deep cuts in CO2 remain the backbone of efforts to limit the long-term consequences of climate change, rapid reductions in emissions of short-lived climate forcers such as black carbon and methane have been identified as perhaps the most effective strategy to slow warming and melting in the Arctic over the next few decades. This is critical to give the cultures and biodiversity of the region more time to adapt and to slow sea level rise by reducing continental ice melting. We strongly support the proposal of the Government of Sweden that the Arctic Council countries show global leadership and take significant measures on the reduction of black carbon at the Kiruna ministerial meeting in May. We hope the declaration from your meeting will unequivocally support the adoption of strong Arctic Council measures. These measures may include: • Commitment to be first movers on submitting emissions inventories to identify mitigation opportunities as per the inventory guidelines agreed in May 2012 under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution; • Establishing a mechanism under the auspices of the Arctic Council for reporting and joint consultations on national initiatives to enhance black carbon emissions reductions; and • Establishing a negotiating body on a circumpolar black carbon instrument with a mandate to develop a proposed instrument for adoption by the next ministerial meeting. That body should be directed to consider for inclusion in the instrument a common, circumpolar vision for black carbon emissions reductions, the development of national mitigation action plans for black carbon, and procedures for reporting and consultation on national mitigation action through the Arctic Council. Arctic nations have an extraordinary opportunity to show global leadership to slow regional warming and melting and, by embracing these measures, to advance the work on black carbon undertaken last year by the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Thank you for your kind attention. Sincerely, Sigurd Enge, Belona Foundation Emma Wilson, International Institute for Environment and Development Ward Hagemeijer, Wetlands International Eero Yrjö-Koskinen, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation Lisa Speer, Natural Resources Defense Council Alexander Shestakov, WWF-Global Arctic Program Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson, Landvernd (Icelandic Environment Association) Alexander Fyodorov, Biodiversity Center of Russia of the Socio Ecological Union Erika Rosenthal & Vawter Parker, Earthjustice Aase Refsnes, Friends of the Earth Norway Alex Levinson, Pacific Environment Truls Gulowsen, Greenpeace Leah Donahey, Alaska Wilderness League cc: Gustaf Lind, Chair, Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials, gustaf.lind@gov.se Sigrid Anna Johnson, Senior Arctic Official, Canada, mda@international.gc.ca Klavs A. Holm, Senior Arctic Official, Denmark, klahol@um.dk Hannu Halinen, Senior Arctic Official, Finland, hannu.halinen@formin.fi Hjalmar W. Hannesson, Senior Arctic Official, Iceland, hwh@mfa.is Else Berit Eikeland, Senior Arctic Official, Norway, else.berit.eikeland@mfa.no Andreas von Uexkull, Senior Arctic Official, Sweden andreas.von-uexkull@gov.se Anton Vasiliev, Senior Arctic Official, The Russian Federation, anton.vasiliev@mid.ru Julie Gourley Senior Arctic Official, United States of America, GourleyJL@state.gov cc: Arctic Athabaskan Council Aleut International Association Gwich’in Council International Inuit Circumpolar Council Russian Arctic Indigenous Peoples of the North Saami Council Indigenous Peoples Secretariat cc: Magnus Johannesson, Director Arctic Council Secretariat, magnus.johannesson@umh.stjr.is