The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of February 12, 2018
Record low sea-ice levels recorded despite frigid winter weather
As athletes and spectators gather to watch world records broken in Pyeongchang, South Korea, international scientists are reviewing another kind of record — record low sea-ice levels gleaned from data collected in January. The difference between 2018’s January sea-ice level and the average January level for 1981-2010 is about 525,000 square miles – roughly 80% of the size of Alaska (Discover Magazine).
Take 1: As of late, shrinking sea-ice has been a common occurrence, but until very recently lows were only recorded in the late summer months. Winter lows are a newer phenomenon that signal an acceleration of melting not predicted for this time scale by most climate models (WMC Action News). The same models predict that with no significant reduction in emissions, the so-called “New Arctic”, where ice is absent from waters year round, could be a reality in as little as 40 years. Unfortunately, this too could be closer than predicted.
Nearest-Arctic nations react to China’s plans
The political climate of the Arctic got a chill last week when China released its official Arctic Policy, which includes building up what is being called the ‘Polar Silk Road’. The policy paper was lauded for increasing transparency, but critics worry that the ‘near-Arctic nation’ may now be pushing for “China-centered Arctic governance” and setting up to take advantage of sovereignty disputes because they lack territorial stakes in the region (South China Morning Post).
Take 2: As China hones in on the Arctic, Russia invests in its Arctic military infrastructure while Canada and the US hold military exercises and consider expanding their Arctic military presence (CNBC, Arctic.ru, Business Insider, USNI News). Even Japanese experts worry about China’s potential Arctic control, primarily because of suspected military intentions (South China Morning Post). The rising tension has lead to questions over whether the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should take an active role in Arctic governance, but so far that is a hot topic, almost as divisive as China’s New Arctic (iPolitics).
US court deems Arctic seals are, in fact, endangered
Despite protest from the State of Alaska and the Oil and Gas Association, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the endangered status of arctic ringed seals. This came after a drawn out battle beginning in March of 2016, when the seals were originally listed as endangered by the United States Fisheries Service. That original decision was overruled by a judge, who claimed that long-term population data showing a decline in arctic seal populations was need to uphold the status, even though this is not required by the Endangered Species Act (Courthouse News).
Take 3: Ringed seals, like many arctic species, depend on sea ice to maintain their population. It is on the ice that these seals build dens where they give birth and rear their young (Inside Climate News). To protect ringed seals means to preserve sea-ice, which, as noted in Take 1, just isn’t happening at the moment. As if that weren’t enough, seals and other arctic wildlife also have to contend with plastics and pollution from humans living thousands of miles away (ABC News) along with the potential release of mercury trapped in permafrost discussed in last week’s Take Five.
First ever unassisted winter Arctic crossing
Another first this week as a ship has completed a winter crossing of the Arctic without an icebreaker. The ship, a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas, sailed from South Korea to the Yamal Peninsula in northern Russia and then on to France to deliver its load. Another non-icebreaker ship made this journey in mid-2017 (Take Five covered it here), but this is the first time the route has been traversed during the coldest part of the year (The Independent).
Take 4: This winter crossing proves that Arctic shipping could have a viable future, so much so that the firm that financed the trip has also invested in six more ships to be used on this exact route (The Guardian). Despite the excitement within the shipping industry, transport through the Arctic has been criticized for its environmental impacts on an already stressed biome. The industry does appear to be cleaning up its act with an incoming high-sulphur fuel ban, but when considering the other impacts of traffic on the Arctic Ocean, it may be a case of too little too late.
Icebreaker access key to research in the Arctic
Fourteen organizations from around the world are working together to facilitate Arctic research by giving scientists time on research icebreakers. The European Commission will provide €6 million for the Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium, which will attempt to improve Arctic access for researchers in the near and far future by providing icebreaker access and creating connections with maritime industries (Alfred-Wegener-Institut).
Take 5: The Arctic is a difficult region to work in. Scientists have to contend with severe weather, isolation, and travel between remote locations. Technology, like body cameras (The Washington Post), can make studying the hardest to reach parts of the Arctic easier, but sometimes scientists still need to get up close and personal. This is where icebreakers come in. Research time on an icebreaker is a scarce and valuable commodity for many polar scientists, who are working against the clock to study ice-covered parts of the Arctic, while they are still here.