Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could unlock toxic waste
With rising global temperatures, thawing permafrost is likely to destabilise thousands of industrial sites and linked contaminated areas in the Arctic, which could result in the spread of toxic substances across the region, according to a new study. Nearly 2,100…
Facts About the Arctic in May 2023
At the beginning of May AWI’s high resolution AMSR2 extent metric is at the top of the historical range: After a period of melt in the East Greenland Sea, export of sea ice from the Central Arctic via the Fram…
A slow start to the Arctic spring
The rate of sea ice loss for April 2023 was slow, owing to cool conditions across the ice-covered Arctic Ocean and below-average to near-average temperatures near the ice edge. Antarctic sea ice extent remained sharply below average throughout the month. Overview…
The EU in the Arctic
In light of growing global geopolitical turmoil, this article will discuss the rise of tensions in the Arctic and the EU’s Arctic interests.
Analysis: Fears mount for the Arctic
For nearly three decades, the Arctic Council has been a successful example of post-Cold War cooperation.
The End of Arctic Illusions
While the Northern European Arctic states—Norway, Sweden, and Finland—have been eager to cooperate with Russia in the Arctic in good faith, Russia has used the narrative of “Arctic exceptionalism” and framing the region as a zone of low tensions as a screen for its military build-up.
How climate change is threatening a remote town nestled in the Arctic Circle
The Arctic town of Longyearbyen, Norway, is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth. It sits in an island chain where average temperatures are up and sea ice is declining. Life there is having to adapt to longer summers, and…
As the Arctic Warms, These Rivers Are Slowing Down
The Arctic is warming up, but instead of large rivers migrating faster, they’re actually slowing down because of shrubification. Permafrost is the understructure of the Arctic, but it’s thawing at a drastic pace, putting infrastructure and landscape in peril. Researchers wanted to ascertain how…
Highlighting Alaska’s Energy Leadership in the Arctic
Those of us who live in the lower 48 states may not realize that the United States is an Arctic nation thanks to Alaska, and that the Arctic region is central to our country’s energy independence and national security. Recently,…