Title M1-The Arctic intro.pdf ✅

3 | P a g e Greenland, a key Arctic landmass, is currently losing approximately 234 billion tons of ice each year. This has contributed to rising sea levels, with significant global implications for coastal cities and ecosystems. Permafrost, which contains vast amounts of organic carbon, is also beginning to thaw, releasing greenhouse gases such as methane, further exacerbating global warming. The polar Arctic region is an ocean, covered by a thin layer of perennial sea ice and surrounded by land. Because this region receives very little solar energy, the water freezes to ice. However, until recently, the Arctic Ocean was covered sea ice year-round. The winter maximum sea ice (March), is 7.7 % below the 1979-2000 average. The summer minimum sea ice (September) is at an alarming 31 % below the 1979-2000 average. Moreover, the September Arctic sea ice is now shrinking at a rate of 12.2% per decade, compared to its average extent during the period from 1981 to 2010. 1.2 The Arctic’s Unique Ecosystems and Indigenous Cultures Despite its fragile state, the Arctic continues to support a wide range of biodiversity. Polar bears, walruses, and caribou are among the most recognizable species, but the region is also home to smaller animals such as ptarmigan, a bird that is well-adapted to the harsh Arctic conditions. The plants that survive here, including mosses, lichens, and shrubs, are critical to sustaining the food web and the human cultures that have lived in the region for centuries. Indigenous communities such as the Inuit, Saami, Komi, Nenets, and Yupik have lived in the Arctic for millennia, developing unique cultures and ways of life that are intricately tied to the land. These communities, whose survival has historically relied on the animals and natural resources of the region, now face increasing challenges due to the environmental changes brought on by climate change and industrialization. Their traditional knowledge of the Arctic environment is invaluable, yet they too are now navigating a rapidly changing world. 1.3 The Challenges Facing the Arctic The Arctic is not only a region of wonder but also one of significant challenges. Erosion of the Arctic coastline is occurring at an alarming rate, with some areas experiencing up to two meters of erosion per year. This destruction of coastlines is leading to the loss of habitats for both wildlife and human populations. Moreover, the vegetation of the Arctic is changing, with plants that once thrived only in the warmer regions of the Earth now spreading into previously ice-covered areas. This expansion of vegetation is contributing to the further destabilization of the region’s ecosystems. Human-animal conflicts are on the rise, as polar bears and other wildlife are forced to venture closer to human settlements in search of food due to the shrinking of their natural habitats. The Arctic’s unique ice-covered landscape, which has been a defining characteristic of the