The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of January 6, 2020
Treasures in the Ice
This week it was announced that the British Museum will display 28,000-year-artifacts discovered in north-east Siberia. The rare items were excavated from rapidly thawing ice, a fact that is not lost to Jago Cooper, the head of the Americas collections at the museum. He describes the discovery as remarkable yet tragic because it comes as a result of thawing conditions. The items will be part of the larger exhibit Arctic: culture and climate, which will run from May 28 until August 23. The exhibit explores the history of the region and the social, political, and economic changes that have occurred through the lens of weather and climate crises (The Guardian).
Take 1: The British Museum has received some criticism from climate groups because BP is a large donor. Yet, the museum does not only exhibit the rare pieces, but it also discusses their heritage and history. This goes a long way in creating greater awareness of the effects of a warming climate, and really makes the criticisms it receives rather small. This tied with the fact that the museum is emphasizing how climate is changing the culture in the area again points to a desire, regardless of donor, to reveal the full impacts of climate change in the Arctic areas.
Students Help Discover Microplastics in the Arctic
This week, onboard the Swedish icebreaker Oden, a group of researchers to include three undergraduate students from City College of New York discovered a large quantity of microplastics in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Microplastics are defined as any type of plastic fragment that is less than 5 mm in length. The three students were part of a three-week research experience designed to observe the changing conditions in the Arctic. The students helped collect the core samples in which the plastics were found (Phys.org).
Take 2: Microplastics are everywhere and have become a topic of hot discussion lately. Their presence in large quantities can have negative impacts on the ecosystem in which they are found. For students to be a part of such an expedition and discovery is important in educating future generations on not only the negative impacts of microplastics but also helping future generations to start thinking of solutions to the problem.
2019 a Good Year for Norway Oil Industry
On January 9, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate released Shelf 19, a report that discusses how the Norwegian petroleum industry fared in 2019. The presentation of the report done in Stavanger presented a positive picture of the industry in Norway. The report states that in 2019, 57 exploration wells were drilled, 83 new production licenses were issued, and a total of 17 new discoveries were made. Norway now has 87 total new oil fields in production, the highest ever. The future numbers according to the report are positive. By 2024 Norwegian peak oil will produce more than 117.5 million barrels. This is a 40 percent increase from 2019 numbers (The Barents Observer).
Take 3: There had been reports that 2019 was initially not going to be a strong year for the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. The results of Shelf 2019 counter that expectation. It was a good year for the industry, yet the report did not mention climate. Also, while there might be a slight decline in emissions due to some improvements in technology and other factors, the reality is that by 2024 more than 12 million tons of CO2 equivalents will be released into the atmosphere. Continual growth of the industry in Norway, while vital to the economy, will continue to contribute to a changing Arctic.
Weather Patterns Over Siberia Increasing Chances of Fires
This week a team of researchers from the U.K., South Korea and Japan published a study in the journal Science Advances that examined the link between oscillation and increased forest fires. The researchers studied 20 years’ worth of weather patterns over Siberia. They have determined that Arctic oscillation during positive phases, that is when warm air masses are pulled from the Southern Hemisphere, creates warmer winters and earlier snowmelt. The effects of an early snowmelt have the chance of increasing forest fires in the area. In order to make this connection, the team utilized a global database to study weather and fire statistics in Siberia from 1997 through 2016 (Phys.org).
Take 4: Wind patterns and air pressure have global effects. As the Earth heats up those effects are more clearly seen in the Arctic areas. A short winter and an early spring as the report indicates can lead to increased fires. As this continues to happen, governments must be prepared and ready to deal with the negative fallouts. There does not seem to be a solution in place that in the long-term can shift this trend.
It’s Warming Up in Tromsø
A study presented this week by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute at the seminar Climate Status 2020 revealed that “Tromsø has lost 17 winter days compared with the last 30 years.” That is, days where temperatures were below zero degrees. The study further explains that winter periods will continue to shorten. For example, in Svalbard today in average the area has only 50 winter days. In 1910 it had counted 150 such days as the average (Research Presentation, The Barents Observer).
Take 5: One wonders what effects the loss of winter days has on the local communities that depend on those colder days. Local communities must expect to continue to adapt, as their way of life changes. Yet, that burden cannot and should not be shouldered by them alone. Government policies need to be developed now in order to better deal with potential future issues. The current expectation is that the winters will continue to lessen in the Arctic region. As lifestyles change this can lead to increasing issues.