The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of 3 March, 2025
US President Continues Remarks About Greenland’s Future
As reported by CNBC News on March 4, US President Donald Trump stated in his address to a joint session of Congress that the United States is working to gain control of Greenland and that he believes the US will acquire the territory “one way or the other.” In his speech, the president noted that the US needs Greenland for its national security, but he also indicated that the US supports the island’s right to self-determination. The joint address to Congress is the first of President Trump’s second term in office. (CNBC News)
Take 1: President Trump’s comments about Greenland are the latest in a series of inflammatory statements that continue to strain Arctic relations. The president initially offered to buy Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, during his first presidential term, but his rhetoric has intensified in recent months, including by declining to rule out the use of force to seize the territory. These aggressive statements are extremely disrespectful to the people of Greenland and counterproductive to ensuring peace in the region. For many Greenlanders, Trump’s remarks have introduced a new dimension of anxiety, inflicting social and emotional costs and illustrating the island’s ongoing struggle against colonialism. Moreover, although the territory continues to maintain close relations with the US, the Greenlandic prime minister has repeatedly condemned Trump’s claims, and the president has also received criticism from the Danish prime minister and other European leaders. With the Arctic facing a range of environmental and geopolitical challenges, now is the time for the US to engage in meaningful collaboration with its Arctic partners, rather than antagonizing allies through unacceptable statements. Greenland and its people deserve to be respected, and the US government, particularly the president, should cease making inappropriate comments about the territory and leave the future of the island to Greenlanders. (Arctic Today, BBC News, The Conversation, The Guardian)
New Research: Some Glaciers Could Survive in Warmer Conditions
As reported by High North News on March 4, new research published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment has found that some glaciers may be able to survive warmer temperatures given certain conditions. By examining glacier-fed lake sediments on Svalbard, scientists discovered that the Åsgardfonna glacier survived and potentially grew despite warmer-than-present conditions in the Early Holocene, possibly due to enhanced snowfall driven by sea-ice loss. The researchers conclude that increasing precipitation could moderate glacial retreat in similar settings. (High North News)
Take 2: Glaciers around the world are rapidly melting due to climate change, but this new study provides useful insights and some hope about the future of glaciers amidst rising temperatures. Glaciers are critical to many ecosystems, delivering nutrients into bodies of water and sustaining stream habitats for plants and animals. However, the runoff from thawing glaciers can also impact sea levels. Between 2000 and 2023, the world’s glaciers lost more than 6,500 billion tons of ice, contributing 18 millimeters to global sea level rise. Additionally, the pace of melting has increased over the years. This accelerated decline is concerning because the complete loss of Earth’s glaciers is estimated to raise global sea levels by hundreds of feet. Moreover, in the Arctic, melting glaciers also help amplify warming. The rapidly increasing temperatures contribute to numerous challenges in the region such as sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, and wildfires that only further accelerate climate change. Thus, the loss of glaciers is a serious danger to humanity and the environment. While the new research makes important findings that some glaciers may be able to cope with warmer temperatures due to enhanced snowfall, the moderating effects may be limited to very specific conditions. Therefore, this new information should not slow the urgent efforts to preserve glaciers and address the climate crisis. (European Space Agency, National Snow and Ice Data Center, US Geological Survey)
Canada Launches Agreement for Inuit-led Conservation Projects
As reported by CBC News on February 28, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau announced a $270 million agreement for conservation projects in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut, home to roughly 20,000 people in 13 communities. The deal includes a network of proposed Inuit-led water and land conservation areas in the Arctic, which aims to ensure environmental health and create employment opportunities in the region. The Canadian government contributed $200 million to the agreement, with the rest pledged by other donors. The federal funding is part of a larger package announced in 2022 to support Indigenous-led conservation projects. (CBC News)
Take 3: The new agreement for Inuit-led conservation projects in Nunavut is an important measure to protect the Arctic’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The Arctic is home to more than 21,000 species that are specially adapted to the region’s cold conditions, including mammals, birds, fish, plants, and microbes. These species are not only vital for the Arctic ecosystem, but they also provide food that sustains many communities and are essential to the culture and spiritual life of many Arctic inhabitants. However, the region’s unique biodiversity is increasingly threatened by industrial development and resource extraction. For example, mines, roads, pipelines, and other installations can disrupt migration pathways and damage calving grounds. Meanwhile, offshore drilling, commercial fishing, and shipping can also contribute to noise, pollution, and accidents that harm marine life. In addition to human activity, warming temperatures have reduced habitats and driven invasive species into the region, posing further risks to wildlife populations. The new agreement in Canada highlights the urgent need for Arctic conservation, but it also emphasizes the importance of having Indigenous communities lead these efforts. This approach recognizes the value of traditional knowledge, enables Indigenous Peoples to have greater influence over the future of their lands, and promotes economic well-being. As the region’s biodiversity continues to decline, countries must strengthen Arctic conservation efforts and can look to the new agreement as a model. (Arctic Centre: University of Lapland, Arctic Council, World Wildlife Fund)
Atmospheric Rivers Trigger Browning of Arctic Lakes
As reported by Eos on March 3, scientists have determined that nine atmospheric rivers are responsible for suddenly turning many Arctic lakes in Greenland brown in 2023. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers state that the atmospheric rivers contributed to record precipitation and heat, which saturated the landscape, thawed permafrost, and released organic materials and metals, resulting in the abrupt browning of the once-clear lakes. It is still unknown if the changes to the lake will be permanent. (Eos)
Take 4: The new study published in PNAS draws attention to the role of atmospheric rivers in driving rapid and unpredictable shifts in the Arctic environment. Atmospheric rivers are long bands of water vapor that transport warm air and moisture, and evidence indicates that atmospheric rivers are becoming more frequent in the Arctic due to climate change. While the new research examines the browning of Arctic lakes as one consequence of atmospheric rivers, these bands also help drive the dramatic decline of the region’s sea ice cover. As atmospheric rivers cross over sea ice, much of the water vapor is released as rain. This process generates heat that warms the atmosphere, contributing to sea ice melt and hindering the development of stable ice cover. With global warming and rising Arctic temperatures already fueling sea ice loss, the impacts from atmospheric rivers pose an additional challenge to maintaining the region’s ice cover, and the continual loss of sea ice could have disastrous implications on the Arctic ecosystem. Sea ice supports a variety of Arctic species, serving as a place for shelter, breeding, migration, and food. Moreover, sea ice is critical for maintaining essential processes like reflecting solar energy and regulating ocean currents. Thus, atmospheric rivers can have significant and surprising impacts on the Arctic, and researchers should continue to investigate the phenomenon’s role in the region. (National Snow and Ice Data Center, NOAA, The Conversation)
Arctic Consequences: Federal Layoffs in Alaska
As reported by the Arctic Sounder on March 3, more than 1,000 US federal employees with probationary status in Alaska could be laid off as part of the Trump Administration’s national efforts to reduce the federal workforce. The employees are located across the state and the Northwest Arctic, serving in a range of departments, including the park service, military, transportation, and agriculture. Employees that have already been terminated note that benefits, such as health insurance, have also been lost. (Arctic Sounder)
Take 5: Recent actions aimed at reducing the federal workforce has resulted in abrupt terminations of federal employees across the United States, including in Alaska. However, being located in the Arctic, these federal employees face distinct challenges and their terminations can have severe consequences for the region. In particular, the loss of health insurance presents a major concern. According to the Alaska Department of Public Health, 11% of Alaskans did not have health insurance in 2022 compared to 8% nationally. Alaskans also have some of the highest health care costs in the US, facing extraordinary insurance premiums and frequent price increases. This disparity reflects the difficulties of providing healthcare services in the Arctic, which is challenged by vast distances, remote communities, and sparse populations. By eliminating access to health insurance provided through employment, the termination of federal employees threatens livelihoods and could exacerbate the risk of poor health outcomes in the region. In addition, due to Alaska’s sparse population, the layoffs could mean losing critical institutional knowledge, as few people may have the necessary skills or experience. With terminations reported in various agencies, such as the National Park Service and NOAA, essential services that monitor and protect the Arctic could be hindered. Thus, the mass layoffs by the Trump Administration pose a serious risk to the people and environment in the Alaskan Arctic and should be reversed. (Alaska Department of Public Health, Alaska Public Media, High North News, University of Alaska Anchorage)