Small lakes appearing on the ice dome of Greenland in the area between Narsarsuaq and Frederikshab. This is a consequence of the phenomenon of global warming and the catastrophic thawing of ice.
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) – an Arctic Council Working Group, “provides reliable and sufficient information on the status of, and threats to, the Arctic environment, and provides scientific advice on actions to be taken in order to support Arctic governments in their efforts to take remedial and preventive actions relating to contaminants and adverse effects of climate change”
Video: Ice collapse in the Arctic
Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic: monitoring report
A recent report by SWIPA looked at the changes facing the Arctic region, and described many impacts which were based on observations and research.
Key findings of the 2021 SWIPA report
- There has been an increase in extreme high temperatures and a decline in extreme cold events
- Annual mean air surface temperatures in the Arctic will rise to 3.3-10°C above the 1985-2014 average by 2100
- Climate change is affecting the subsistence harvest-based livelihoods and food security of small Arctic communities —especially Indigenous communities
- Unique ecosystems, such as those associated with multi-year sea ice or millennia-old ice shelves, are at risk and some are vanishing
- Some species will benefit, for example the orca, which is extending its range into the new open water areas in the Arctic and is competing with the polar bear as a top predator.
Impact of COVID-19 and the report
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted Arctic communities, with over 400,000 cases and 6,600 deaths reported by February 2021.
- It worsened existing vulnerabilities, particularly among Indigenous Peoples.
- Arctic research faced major disruptions, including delays, cancellations, and logistical challenges, leading to data gaps in 2020–2021.
- However, some projects, especially those co-developed with northern and Indigenous communities, were able to continue, highlighting the resilience of locally-led research efforts.
Download the 2017 SWIPA report
2017 SWIPA report factsheets:
- Factsheet 1 – Recent Changes in the Arctic
- Factsheet 2 – Future Climate Change in the Arctic
- Factsheet 3 – Implications of Arctic Climate Change
- Factsheet 4 – The Paris Agreement’s Impact on Arctic Change
Aaju talks about the differences between Inuit and western ideas of ownership.
Key findings activity
- Download the key findings table, print it out and then cut out the key findings as a set of cards.
- Arrange the cards into a diamond layout, so that the most important or significant effects are placed at the top of the layout, and the least important at the bottom. Try ordering them according to various criteria.
Changing lives
- Four million people live in the Arctic. How are their lives going to change according to the SWIPA report?
- Using the four fact sheets, discuss and research the issues that affect the area. Suggest what some of the likely future changes will be. This could be undertaken as an activity in groups, with each group looking at a different factsheet and then feeding back their findings to the whole class.
