Climate change is transforming the Arctic

A typhoon, smoke from forest fires and increased rainfall are not what most people think of when they think of the Arctic. But a one-year update on the transformation of this once glacier-covered region, which has recently warmed faster than anywhere else in the world, speaks of these climate-induced events. 

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2022 Arctic Report Card is compiled by 147 experts from 11 countries. Prepared annually for 17 years, it provides an important insight into the rapid change in the Arctic and its impact on the environment, ecosystems, economies and local communities.

In fact, the report of 2022, in summary, reveals that it is necessary to implement the measures to be taken against climate change on a global scale much more effectively. 

This year's report included the following findings; 

The annual average temperature in the Arctic from October 2021 to September 2022 marks the sixth warmest period since 1900. Air temperatures measured in the Arctic show that this region continues to warm faster than the global average. The seven warmest years in the Arctic since 1900 have been recorded in the last seven years. 

In 2021, the area covered by Arctic sea ice was larger than in the last few years, but still well below the long-term average. Glacier extent, sea ice thickness and volume measured over many years appear to have recovered from the record low in 2021. But it is still less than in the 1980s and 1990s. It is also noted that old ice is extremely rare among the glaciers. 

For most of the summer, melting ice near the North Pole facilitates the navigation of polar-class tourist ships and research vessels. The Northern Sea Route and the Northwest Passage are also largely open. 

Satellite records from 2009 to 2018 show that ship traffic in the Arctic is increasing as the sea ice melts. The most significant increases in this traffic are seen in the number of ships using the Bering Strait and Beaufort Sea route from the Pacific Ocean. While this opens up economic opportunities for new trade routes, it is also likely to increase potential human-induced pressures on Arctic communities and ecosystems. 

Sea surface temperatures in August 2022 reveal a continuation of the warming trend observed since 1982 in much of the ice-free Arctic Ocean. In the Barents and Laptev seas, average sea surface temperatures in August 2022 were 3.5 to 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 3°C) warmer than the 1991-2020 August averages, while August sea surface temperatures were unusually cold at 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius). Experts believe this is due to late summer sea ice in the Chukchi Sea, possibly held in place by winds in the region.

In the Arctic, the effects of climate change on the region continue. This situation was also detected in the early 2000s and led to the establishment of military bases and operational plans for the region by Russia, the US and China, which were trying to dominate the region.

This transformation in the Arctic will certainly have political, military, economic and ecological repercussions. This currently quiet region of the world is rapidly moving towards a more vibrant future. 

Reference: Climate change is transforming the Arctic 21 December 2022