Climate Change In The Arctic: The Canary In The Mine

Spitsbergen, Norway – Ny-Alesund is the northernmost community in the world. Located at 79 degrees north on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, it is much closer to the North Pole than to Oslo, the country's capital. By way of comparison, my hometown of Caribou, Maine, is located at 46 degrees. Ny-Alesund has four months of polar night and four months of midnight sun. From October to February, the sun never rises above the horizon, but from April to August, the sun remains above the horizon all day and all night.

Ny-Alesund was originally a small coal mining community settled in 1916. Between 1925 and 1928, it was the starting point for several polar expeditions, including Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen's successful attempt to fly over the North Pole with American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth and Italian Umberto Nobile. Today it is a center for international Arctic scientific research, with a special focus on the environment.

In August, I visited Ny-Alesund as part of a delegation of Senators led by John McCain to learn more about climate change and its impact on the Arctic. We were briefed by scientists involved in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), a multi-year assessment to evaluate the impact of climate change and increased ultraviolet radiation across the Arctic region. Their findings are cause for concern.

The scientists told us that while some climate changes are the result of natural variability, the global climate is changing more rapidly than at any time since the beginning of civilization due to an increase in greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. These changes are most evident in the Arctic, the part of our planet most sensitive to climate change. According to the Norwegian scientists, over the past 50 years, the average temperatures across the Arctic have risen by nearly twice as much as the global average. Using computer models, the ACIA scientists project "very significant warming for the Arctic over the next 100 years."

The melting of glaciers and sea ice, the thawing of permafrost, and the increases in sea levels resulting from warming are already beginning to cause environmental, social, and economic changes. Some coastal communities in the Arctic are facing increased exposure to storms and coastal erosion as a reduction in sea ice allows higher waves and storm surges to reach shore. The risk of flooding in coastal wetlands is projected to increase, with impacts on society and ecosystems. Thawing ground will disrupt transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure. Some indigenous communities are already being forced to relocate.

Elevated ultraviolet radiation levels will affect people, plants, and animals. Scientists estimate that Arctic young people are likely to receive a lifetime dose of UV that is about 30 percent higher than any prior generation. The result is expected to be increases in skin cancer and cataracts.

The diversity, ranges, and distribution of animal species will change as reductions in sea ice shrink the marine habitat for polar bears, seals, and some seabirds. Caribou, reindeer, and other animals are likely to be increasingly stressed as climate warming alters their access to food sources and breeding grounds. These changes will also affect some indigenous communities where the people depend on hunting polar bear, walruses, seals, and caribou; fishing, and herding reindeer not only for food and to support the local economy but also as a cultural identity. The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment warns that global warming presents "serious challenges to human health . . and possibly even the survival of many cultures." Aside from the worrisome impact on the people, flora, and fauna of the Arctic, why should this concern those of us who live in the continental United States? Warming in the Arctic is likely to have major implications for the entire planet. According to the briefing we received, the Arctic heavily influences the global climate in at least three ways. First, the snow and ice reflects most of the incoming solar energy upward from the surface back into space. Melting of highly reflective Arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing the absorption of the sun's heat and further warming the planet. This affects the global and regional climate. Most climate models project droughts in the interiors of most continents as a result of these changes. Second, increasing glacial melt adds more freshwater to the ocean, reducing its salinity and raising the global sea level, causing coastal flooding and other problems. Third, Arctic climate change will have implications for bio-diversity around the world because migratory species depend on breeding and feeding grounds in the Arctic.

Scientists attribute the increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels. We can take steps to reduce greenhouse gases by adopting higher fuel economy standards for our cars, by reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants, and by expanding the use of non-fossil fuels. In addition, we must continue to learn more about the causes and implications of global warming by funding research such as the well-regarded climate studies at the University of Maine.

From Orono, Maine, to a small Norwegian community within the Arctic Circle, scientists are greatly increasing our knowledge of climate change. Now is the time to heed their warnings. Like the canary in the coal mine, the climate changes already evident in the Arctic are a call to action.

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