Environment from Land-based Activities (Arctic RPA), updated in 2009 to reflect contemporary challenges in preventing Arctic marine pollution. Marine protected areas PAME adheres to the definition of a 'Marine Protected Area' volunteered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The definition focuses the existence of a distinct geographical area managed in such a way that ensures the long-term conservation and protection of its natural ecosystems. There are seven categories to accommodate the various characters of protected areas that exist globally, with the Arctic states each possessing policy tools to designate and manage these. The expert group of PAME's Marine Protected Areas subdivision is co-lead by Canada, Norway and the United States. Ecosystem approaches to management Ecosystem approaches to management (EA) is defined by PAME and the Arctic Council as the management of human activities based on contemporary, scientific knowledge of local ecosystems. The purpose of the approach is to facilitate management decisions of human activity which balance the exploitation of marine resources with ecosystem prosperity. Between 2006 and 2017, PAME produced a total of 11 ecosystem approach progress reports, and has developed a framework for application of the approach to its projects. The framework principles involve identifying the character of local ecosystems before considering them adjacent to the group's assessments, objectives and values. Decisions with respect to the management of local human activity are made based on the outcomes of these processes. The establishment of the expert group on Arctic ecosystem-based management (EBM) occurred in 2011, the centrality to the working of the Council of which was furthered in both 2015 and 2017, with council ministers agreeing on the requirement for distinct guidelines for implementing the Ecosystem Approach in the Arctic region. Marine resource exploitation and development 2009 saw PAME release a series of guidelines for the exploitation of Arctic off-shore gas and oil, delineating the council's understanding of 'good practice' for the stages of planning, exploring, developing, producing and decommissioning areas and equipment employed in resource exploitation and development. Since the commissioning of these guidelines, PAME has published eight developing documents detailing further development of local regulation on Arctic oil and Gas drilling activities. PAME meetings The Group convenes on an annual, or biannual basis, and meets with the Ministers of the Arctic Council once every two years. The location of PAME meetings, as can be observed below, alternate between cities situated in the 8 Arctic states. Past