Abstract: Global climate change has had profound impacts on the environment of the polar regions, and on the distribution and transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. In marine ecosystems, the loss of sea ice and increasing areas of open water have lead to the re-emission of POPs trapped in the ice sheet and the ocean. Furthermore, the decrease in primary productivity caused by climate change, and the impact of this decrease on the performance of the biological pump, have reduced the deposition of POPs in the deep ocean, increasing the biological exposure to these substances. In terrestrial ecosystems, the remobilization of POPs has been driven by changes in temperature and soil organic matter.

Key words: climate change, polar regions, persistent organic pollutants, sea-soil/air exchange