The Changing Arctic Landscape Global temperatures rose approximately 0.85 degrees Celsius from 1880 to 2012, a trend that has accelerated over the past 30 years. While this may not seem noticeable, particularly due to seasonal variations, no geographic location has been more impacted by this change than the Arctic. North of the 66th parallel, temperatures are rising at twice the rate that they are worldwide. The impact of climate change in the Arctic has been dramatic. For the past thirty years, rising temperatures have been melting what were once considered permanent ice structures: ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, and multiyear sea ice. The Arctic has lost approximately 3 to 4 percent of its sea ice each decade since 1979, and the decline …show more content…
Feedback loops occur when the surfaces exposed by ice melt – land and water – absorb more of the sun’s heat than snow or ice would. This in turn causes more ice and snow to melt, accelerating the process of climate change. Pollution also disproportionately affects the Arctic, accelerating warming. Black carbon pollution darkens the surfaces of snow and ice, causing them to absorb more heat and melt more quickly. It also can linger in the air, absorbing the sun’s heat and causing temperatures to rise. Unlike methane and carbon dioxide, which impact climate change worldwide, black carbon has the greatest impact closest to the geographical location where it is emitted. Black carbon emitted north of 40°N – in most cases in North America, Europe, or Russia – has the greatest impact on the …show more content…
Some businesses may be able to provide the expertise and best practices to locate and extract resources while causing minimal damage to the Arctic environment. For example, the Canada’s Northwest Territories and Nunavut Chamber of Mines provides a framework for businesses to share expertise and collaborate on best practices for mining, drilling, and energy conservation in the Arctic. Companies with expertise in the shipping and extractive industries, particularly in extreme environments, can help to set standards for worker safety and environmental preservation. These standards may even be higher than those mandated through