The Arctic, often seen as one of nature’s last untouched frontiers, is under increasing threat from pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation. While these challenges impact the globe, their effects in the Arctic are particularly severe, directly affecting wildlife and human populations.
For Professor Arja Rautio, a medical doctor and toxicologist working with the ArcSolution project, the solution to these interconnected crises lies in the One Health approach. “One Health focuses on the interconnection between human, environmental, and animal health,” Rautio explains. “Arctic Indigenous communities have long understood this—they have always said that human well-being depends on the environment’s health.”
As melting permafrost releases previously trapped pollutants and ocean currents transport contaminants into Arctic ecosystems, these environmental changes threaten public health. Through her work at ArcSolution, Rautio is developing a joint One Health model to help policymakers and local communities sustainably mitigate these threats.
About Arja Rautio:
- Rautio is a professor of Arctic Research in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oulu, Finland.
- Her research focuses on health and well-being in the Arctic, climate change and interdisciplinary research ethics.
- As a medical doctor and toxicologist, she acts in the human health expert groups (AHHEG and HHAG) under the working groups of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and Sustainable Development (SDWG) in the Arctic Council.
The Role of One Health in Understanding Arctic Pollution
Pollution in the Arctic is often believed to originate from distant industrial areas, transported by ocean currents and winds. While this is accurate, Rautio highlights that local sources of contamination are also significant concerns. “There are over 10,000 known polluted sites in Arctic regions,” she says. “These are not well-documented, and the risks they pose increase as the permafrost thaws.”
The One Health approach provides a holistic framework for studying how pollutants impact Arctic communities. Instead of looking at environmental, animal and human health separately, it examines how they are interdependent.
“For example, traditional foods like seal, whale, and reindeer are essential for many Arctic cultures,” Rautio says. “But some of these animals, like marine mammals, also accumulate pollutants, affecting human health. So, how do we balance food security, cultural traditions, and public health?”
Plastics are one of those pollutants. “Plastics are like Trojan horses,” Rautio warns. “They might look harmless, but they carry toxic chemicals and pollutants directly into our bodies.” Scientists have recently discovered microplastics in human brains, potentially affecting neurological function in blood vessels and the heart, raising cardiovascular concerns, and in the placenta, indicating they can transfer from mother to child before birth. “This issue is still poorly understood, but what we do know is concerning,” Rautio says. “Every month, new studies show how plastics are infiltrating human organs. We have to act now.”
Another area of focus is infectious diseases linked to climate change. Rautio notes that five new contagious diseases emerge in humans each year, and three of these originate in animals. With Arctic temperatures rising, the spread of zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans—could become an increasing threat. “The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the world of how interconnected human and animal health are,” she says. “In the Arctic, we have to be especially vigilant.”
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A key aspect of Rautio’s research is working directly with Indigenous Arctic communities to understand their perspectives on environmental health. However, this must be done ethically and collaboratively. “We don’t just conduct studies and publish results,” she explains. “The communities we work with must be equal partners in the research process.”
ArcSolution researchers must obtain ethical approvals from university, national, and Indigenous authorities, respect local decision-making, adhere to guidelines from organisations like the Inuit Circumpolar Council and the Sámi Parliament, and ensure that data remains under local oversight, preventing unauthorised further research. “The communities themselves must decide what research is relevant to them,” Rautio says. “It’s not about scientists coming in with their agenda—it’s about listening first.”
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure the research we do is useful for Arctic communities,” Rautio says. “We want to provide them with tools that help them protect their health while preserving their traditional ways of life.” The One Health model is not just a research framework—it is designed to provide practical solutions that Arctic communities and policymakers can use to reduce pollution exposure, improve environmental regulations, and protect public health. Some of its real-world applications include:
- Risk Assessment: Identifying the most significant pollution threats and their impact on human and animal health.
- Climate Change Predictions: Using climate and contaminant modelling to forecast health risks 50–100 years into the future.
- Public Health Policy Development: Providing recommendations for policymakers on pollution regulation, food safety, and waste management.
- Education & Community Resilience: Integrating One Health principles into school curriculums to promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
By February 2025, the ArcSolution team will release the first version of their One Health model, focusing on early data integration and framework development. Over the next one to two years, they will refine the model by incorporating new pollution data and community feedback and expand the model from the regional to the pan-Arctic level. Despite the challenges, Rautio remains hopeful. “The Arctic is changing rapidly, but if we act now, we can still protect its future,” she says. “This project is not just about research—it’s about ensuring that Arctic communities thrive for generations to come.”
