Marine litter is a global problem, but in the fragile ecosystems of the Arctic its impact is especially severe. The ICEBERG project, funded by the European Union, is working to better understand how marine litter affects northern environments and communities. One of its most practical contributions is the new Community Monitoring Platform, an interactive tool that allows anyone to contribute to mapping pollution in coastal areas.
A Tool for Citizens and Communities
The tool, hosted on uMap, lets citizens, researchers, and local groups upload photos, notes, and observations of litter they encounter on Arctic and sub-Arctic coasts. Each entry is geo-referenced and appears on the shared map, creating a collective picture of where and what types of waste are being found.
This approach makes litter monitoring:
- Accessible: no special equipment needed, just a phone or computer.
- Participatory: empowering residents, fishers, tourists, and students to take part.
- Data-rich: combining local insights with visual evidence.
Coverage and Focus
While the project has a special focus on the North Atlantic and Arctic regions, the platform is open for contributions across the wider area. It provides a unique overview of coastal litter hotspots, from fishing gear washed up on remote beaches to plastic bottles drifting into fjords.
Why It Matters
Mapping is more than visualization. By crowdsourcing data on where litter accumulates, the ICEBERG platform helps:
- Identify priority cleanup areas.
- Support policy and management decisions.
- Build a shared knowledge base for researchers, NGOs, and local authorities.
The Bigger Picture: ICEBERG
The community platform is just one part of ICEBERG’s work. The project connects science, policy, and society to tackle marine litter through:
- Research on sources and impacts of waste in Arctic ecosystems.
- Knowledge exchange between local communities, scientists, and decision-makers.
- Awareness-raising through education and citizen engagement.
Together, these efforts aim to reduce litter inputs and strengthen resilience against pollution in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
Get Involved
Anyone can explore the map, contribute sightings, or learn more through the ICEBERG project website. By adding local observations, contributors help turn scattered encounters with waste into a collective, science-driven picture of marine litter in the Arctic.
