This session will focus on all types of impacts of human activities in the polar regions. A specific focus will be placed on highlighting the management priorities for the protection of the landscape (environment and people) of the polar regions in the face of increasing human activity. Subjects of interest include exploitation of natural resources, local chemical and biological contamination, disturbance of flora and fauna, socio-cultural effects and political implications of commercial pursuits in the polar regions. Contributions on the impacts of polar tourism are particularly welcome, as tourism is an increasingly significant subset of human activities in the polar regions. We hope presentations are able to discuss practical management or regulatory options within the context of prioritizing the protection of the polar regions.

We intend to collect key presentations from this session into a special issue of a journal or a book, which will have the potential to set the scene for environmental management in the Antarctic for the second decade of the 21st century. We invite abstracts for papers focusing on human activities, human impacts and their management in the wider sense in the polar regions. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should be written in English. Instructions for the submission of abstract are enclosed, but can also be retrieved upon registration of interest from the conference website. We look forward to receiving your abstracts. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or suggestions you may have.