Arctic Watch

Facts About the Arctic

Analysis

Tensions rise as superpowers scrap for a piece of the Arctic

China might not instinctively spring to mind when you think about the Arctic – but it’s determined to be a big Arctic player.

Polar bear biopsies to shed light on Arctic pollutants

With one foot braced on the helicopter’s landing skid, a veterinarian lifted his air rifle, took aim and fired a tranquiliser dart at a polar bear.

The Northwest Passage in 2025

I’m opening the 2025 Northwest Passage thread earlier than usual, because of some news you can read if you scroll down.

The Son of Climate: The Movie

Fresh from his enlightening “debate” with Peter Hadfield about the numerous errors in Climate

Trump’s Climate Cuts Affect the NSIDC

I frequently post a summary of the Arctic section of the United States’ National Snow and Ice Data Center’s monthly review of the current state of the cryosphere. Here is the most recent edition.

Major changes in biodiversity in the Arctic

A major study in Nature with researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows large local differences in which species are favoured, and which are outcompeted due to climate change.

Peter Hadfield versus Tom Nelson

This article not directly related to Arctic sea ice, but instead is one of our (very!) occasional series on the psychology of anthropogenic global warming “skepticism”.

Geological and Prehistoric Foundations of Arctic Geopolitics

To fully understand contemporary Arctic geopolitics and its significance to world politics, it is essential to understand the geopolitical connections interlinking the Arctic region to the rest-of-the-world.

The weakening Arctic consensus is worrying

In spite of rising diplomatic tensions, the most immediate geopolitical risk for Arctic is not military conflict.