Emerging contaminants and responses to environmental risks will be central to the virtual conference on 23–25 November. Researchers have until 6 November to submit abstracts.

Pollution in Arctic snow, ice and permafrost, emerging contaminants and collective responses to environmental risks will be among the topics explored at PEOPLE 2026, taking place online via Zoom on 23–25 November 2026. The conference, which also serves as the 2026 Atlantic Symposium of the Canadian Association on Water Quality (CAWQ), will examine these challenges under the theme “Our Environment at Risk: From Emerging Contamination to Collective Solutions under Climate Change”. Its focus reflects concerns central to the work of the Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control (NRPOP) Laboratory, where modelling and experimental research support the development of technologies to investigate, control and remediate pollution in northern regions. The laboratory studies persistent organic pollutants, whose ability to remain in the environment and travel over long distances means they can pose hazards long after restrictions on their use.

The conference will bring together scientific and practical perspectives, covering Arctic shipping and marine pollution, PFAS and microplastics, contaminant monitoring and treatment, environmental governance, Indigenous knowledge and community-based solutions.