arctic warming
Newsletter
Plastic pollution treaty talks yield mixed results for Arctic Indigenous communities
Despite global talks aiming to tackle plastic pollution, Arctic Indigenous communities return home to worsening plastic impacts without commitments to reduce plastic production.
In short:
- The recent global treaty talks in Ottawa lacked firm commitments to curb plastic production, leaving Arctic Indigenous communities disheartened.
- Plastics and petrochemicals collect in the Arctic, causing health and environmental damage while climate change exacerbates these issues.
- Oil industries and some nations emphasize recycling over production cuts, which experts argue won't fully address the problem.
Key quote:
“The Biden administration is moving forward with a massive oil and gas project that is a climate disaster waiting to happen while refusing to listen to the voices of my constituents and community.”
— Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Iñupiaq scholar and leader from the Native village of Nuiqsut.
Why this matters:
The Arctic, melting faster than other regions, is a "sink" for plastic pollution from around the globe, drastically affecting the health and culture of Indigenous people. Read more: Ending toxic threats to Alaska from plastics and petrochemicals.
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Newsletter
Climate simulation raises alarm over potential ocean circulation collapse
A recent study by René van Westen showcases how melting Arctic freshwater could disrupt the Atlantic Ocean's circulation, potentially leading to abrupt climate changes.
In short:
- The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), crucial for regulating climate and weather patterns, may be nearing a critical "tipping point" due to increased freshwater from melting ice.
- Historical data and advanced simulations indicate the AMOC has shut down before, with significant global climate implications.
- Recent observations suggest the AMOC is weakening, raising concerns about its stability and the rapid, severe consequences of its potential collapse.
Key quote:
“In simple terms [it] would be a combined food and water security crisis on a global scale.”
— Tim Lenton, climate scientist at the University of Exeter
Why this matters:
Understanding and monitoring the AMOC's stability is vital for predicting future climate changes. A collapse could drastically alter weather patterns, affect global food and water security, and challenge our ability to adapt. Solutions exist but competing interests slow implementation.
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Top Story
Indigenous Guardians protect their culture of cold in a heating world
Masked against the Arctic glare in orange-tinted sunglasses, Tad Tulurialik is a modern conservation “Guardian” of his fast-melting homeland.
Corn harvests in the Yukon? Study finds that climate change will boost likelihood that wilderness gives way to agriculture
As new areas become suitable for planting, researchers predict that vast swaths of biodiversity will be at risk, particularly in northern regions and the tropics.
Chum salmon are spawning in the Arctic. It’s an ominous sign
The fish may be a harbinger of dramatic warming in the north—and rapidly transforming ecosystems.
Climate change brings cloudberry to Svalbard
After an exceptionally warm summer, ripe cloudberries are for the first time documented at 78° North.
Newsletter
Here’s life on an expedition to track declining Arctic ice
Each September, the ice at the top of the world hits its lowest extent of the year. Researchers are studying how a warming climate is affecting a not-so-frozen ocean.
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