In the short-term, adaptation measures can focus on immediate challenges caused by increased extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfalls or melting permafrost (climate-centered). “Greenland Ice Sheet Changing” – Video by: SpaceRip. As the extent of sea ice decreases due to climate change, bears have had to adjust their habitat use. The loss is further evidence say scientists of the rapid climate changes taking place in Greenland. Climate change is an important issue in Greenland For wealthy nations in temperate climates, such as the U.S., climate change has only recently become an important issue among voters, despite decades of concern from scientists. The centre received a grant of DKK 35 million by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The sea around Greenland affects the climate on land. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. AMAP, 2017. This is particularly a problem in rapidly developing countries, such as China and India, who are reluctant to limit their use of fossil fuels as they feel entitled to use them to achieve the level of development that the western world already has. He can’t tell him anymore what it means, how the skies look on a given day… The weather has become so unpredictable; one goes out to hunt in nice weather in the morning, but in the afternoon there is a storm.”. Greenland may seem like a sparse land but its wildlife is rich and diverse. Click the button to see video by AFP news agency: “Independence – a top priority for Greenland voters”. Scientists investigating how temperatures have changed prior to the invention of thermometers need to rely on a variety of climate “proxies”, which are correlated with temperature and can be used to infer, with some uncertainties, how it has changed in the past. – Video by: AJ+. In Greenland, projects such as Dark Snow are working to advance our understanding of how the Arctic is melting and to project the effects of this. This area has recently been found also to be full of rare minerals. What happens If The World Warms Up By 5°C? “We know that climate change also creates new opportunities, for example in new pelagic [cod, herring, mackerel] fisheries. “What Happens If The World Warms Up By 4°C?”, → “What Happens If The World Warms Up By 4°C?” by Sky News, Click on the right, upper arrow to see Climate change in Greenland is affecting the livelihood of the Greenlandic population. Many scientists now accept that these global events are inevitable, but that the question is when they will happen, and to what extent. Climate Change Adaptation is defined as "being prepared for the challenges caused by the climate changes and about relating to possibilities as well as challenges. In 197], the Home Rule Government was established in Greenland. Some even argue that far up north climate change has been advantageous for polar bears, as the breaking up of sea ice that was once solid allows them more food sources. It is generally accepted that one of the biggest contributors to climate change today is the use of fossil fuels. The government's website Climate Greenland[26] is both a resource tool to find relevant organizations or stakeholders, as was well as information on the impacts of climate change on Greenland and how the country is responding to it. However, there is still a long way to go on the agricultural front. Greenland exhibits a type of climate known as the Arctic climate. Additionally, as the effects of climate change increasingly become apparent across the world, travelers are beginning to see Greenland as a ‘last frontier’, and its landscape as somewhere that has an expiration date on it. promoting dry and sunny weather that enhanced the surface melt thanks to the melt-albedo feedback, There has been a general change from seal hunting to fishing. "The atmosphere in this region has warmed by about 3C since 1980," said Dr … This inevitable future, therefore, is simply the next development to adapt to. However, for some, the mining projects are controversial. With less sea ice to use to hunt seals, polar bears have fewer opportunities to find food. Now they can travel only for one day by sea ice, there’s too much open water and it’s unstable.”. [15], At the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the then Greenlandic Minister for Finance, Mineral Resources and Foreign Affairs, Vittus Qujaukitsoq described climate change adaptation in Greenland as being a policy priority. Gaining a better understanding of how warming ocean water affects these glaciers will … Uranium was discovered in the 1950s in Kvanefjeld, just outside of Narsaq. Since Greenland as a country has the lowest population density in the world, with a population of only just over 56,000 on the world’s largest island, it is a possibility that if migration occurs on a large scale, the local population could become marginalised. While climate change is making practical aspects such as the prediction of weather or animal migration more difficult, it also highlights the importance of traditional knowledge for adaptive capacity building in other areas e.g. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. This proclaims the Arctic states' responsibility to protect the ecosystem of the Arctic Ocean. Cruise ships have even begun to sail the Northwest Passage. Climate change has made it increasingly difficult for Greenlanders to perform traditional cultural practices, such as dogsledding. It has been able to fight international agreements such as the Paris Agreement because it is currently the victim of global warming, not the perpetrator. One Arctic. You can see the distribution data that is available on the WWF website. Here you can read more about Greenland’s political status. This means that it self-governs in most areas, but also receives an annual financial contribution from Denmark. The iceberg that sank the Titanic probably originated here. It is Greenland’s single largest contributor to global sea level rise. ways to prepare and adjust under changing vulnerabilities become important. The stretches of coastline close to the open sea, in particular, are cooled by the sea. by National Snow & Ice Data Center, → “How melting leads to more melting as the Arctic warms up” One of the key discussions relating to climate change in Greenland is the effect that it has on the wildlife that calls Greenland home. However, there is also apprehension particularly amongst smaller villages that rely on hunting and fishing (primarily Inuit communities), that climate change will contribute to the end of their traditional lifestyles. [8] The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest in the world. This distinction of meanings carries the acceptance of uncertainty as well as potential disappointments and failure.[18]. Such trends can further lead to the alienation of people from their environment. According to the European Environmental Agency "the cumulative ice loss from Greenland from 1992 to 2015 was 3 600 Gt (Gigatonnes) and contributed to global sea level rise by approximately 10 mm. As temperatures warm in Greenland and summer temperatures are reported in the 20s, the country becomes a lot more enticing for tourists who are sometimes put off by the Arctic climate. For example, isersarneq communicates something like: “This is a wind in the fjord that comes in from the sea, and it can be hard to get home, but once you get out of the fjord, it’s nice weather.” Recently, however, as the winds change and become unpredictable, these terms are disappearing. [8] Recorded shifts were primarily driven by the search for resources (of e.g. What Happens If The World Warms Up By 2°C? Climate change has made summers in Greenland warmer and drier, leading to a decline in the number of sheep farms on the island. by WWF Global, → “What About the Ringed Seals as the Arctic Climate Warms?” Icebergs are one of the Big Arctic Five experiences in Greenland, and you can see them by the thousands from air, water, or land at the Ilulissat Icefjord. “What Happens If The World Warms Up By 3°C?”, → “What Happens If The World Warms Up By 3°C?” by Sky News, Click on the right, upper arrow to see Currently, some functions do not work in Internet Explorer. However, Søren Hald Møller, permanent secretary for Greenland’s prime minister, explains that it is not that simple for a society to take up new occupations. Scientists have estimated that the Greenland ice sheetis between 400,000 and 800,000 years old. It finds that climate change has already bled trillions of tons of ice from the island reservoir, with more loss than expected coming from its unstable northern half. about how Greenland is living with climate change today, and where it might lead the country in the future. Rethinking Greenland And The Arctic In The Era Of Climate Change New Northern Horizons The Earthscan Science In Society Series Author: guwp.gallaudet.edu-2021-05-15T00:00:00+00:01 Subject: Rethinking Greenland And The Arctic In The Era Of Climate Change New Northern Horizons The Earthscan Science In Society Series Keywords It’s too far away from the glacier front to see it calve, but you can easily spend hours by the icefjord, transfixed by the many different shapes and sizes of icebergs floating into the ocean. Polar bears are one of the most frequently discussed animals in relation to climate change. [17] This prospect of new jobs, purchasing power, new shipping routes and the possibly resulting entrance into the global market system is linked to the potential of gaining greater independence from Denmark. When it comes to mankind’s contributions to climate change, Berthelsen said the onus lies outside of Greenland to fix it. But in some places climate change is an undeniable fact of everyday life. Statistics show how tourism to Greenland has been increasing over recent years. Climate change has benefits for Greenland’s tourism industry for a number of reasons. For many of us it’s something that we simply see in the news, with environmental conditions setting new records in faraway nations: “the warmest”, “the wettest”, “the driest”. by Voa News, → “Impact of climate change on whales” Further south in Greenland, there have been reports that polar bears are thinner and are seen more frequently near villages, scavenging for food. “Hungry Polar Bear Ambushes Seal” – Video by: BBC Earth. “Greenland Resources Inc. Mining for Company Without Jesper” When reusing Charctic images or data, please credit “National Snow and Ice Data Center.”. The polysynthetic nature of Greenlandic means that single words are often used to describe tiny nuances in the weather. Climate proxies can be obtained fromsources, such as tree rings, ice cores, fossil … The mining opportunities mentioned in Chapter 5 have triggered interest from outside investors, including oil exploration, precious metal and uranium mining companies. And with the loss of dog teams comes loss of the traditional Greenlandic culture and lifestyle. Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO world heritage site that is easily accessible from the town centre of Ilulissat. [15], Because of climate change, the Tunumiit Inuit, who reside in east Greenland, are seeing changes to their food systems and cultural interpretations as well. [19] In 2009, the Greenlandic Government published a lifecycle assessment for the production of aluminium in an Alcoa smelter. Warmer conditions would allow more farming and, as we talk, cattle are grazing around us on pasture that's beside bright white chunks of ice bobbing in the sea. [5].mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbinner{display:flex;flex-direction:column}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{display:flex;flex-direction:row;clear:left;flex-wrap:wrap;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{margin:1px;float:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .theader{clear:both;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;align-self:center;background-color:transparent;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbcaption{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-left{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-right{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-center{text-align:center}@media all and (max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbinner{width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:none!important;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{justify-content:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{float:none!important;max-width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle .thumbcaption{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow>.thumbcaption{text-align:center}}, Due to its geographical location and global climatic patterns such as the North Atlantic Oscillation and volcanic activity,[7] Greenland is exposed to high levels of fluctuations in the natural environment. It gained further rights in 2009, which moved Greenland towards self-rule. In 2008, following increased media attention for the Arctic, the five countries adjacent to the Arctic Ocean (Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia and the United States) published the Ilulissat Declaration. [15] The process of knowledge transfer between generations for building resilience is also important to address as it is weakened by trends of urbanisation and alternative livelihoods. The East Greenland Ice Core Project (EastGrip) is an international science camp at which resident scientists use samples from the ice sheet that are up to 40,000 years old to predict future changes to the planet. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp. [6] In addition, in 2013 the government decided to lift the ban on the extraction of radioactive minerals such as uranium. As a milder climate means that the growing season gets longer, there are more opportunities to produce crops for local consumption in Southern Greenland, without having to import them from Denmark. Greenland is in transition, in terms of biophysical as well as cultural and social conditions. [21] Before recent years, the Tunumiit would equate lack of ecological resources to a paucity of collective human respect. Greenland may seem like a sparse land but its wildlife is rich and diverse. Sea level rise could be a global-scale catastrophe since nearly one-third of the world’s population lives in or near a coastal zone. [21] Unlike seal hunting, fishing is deemed as a low-status activity to the Tunumiit. Chapter 5 has already outlined the opportunities for industry that climate change presents. [16] The melting ice sheet enables an easier access to oil, gas and minerals, the exploitation of which creates new economic opportunities. Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), Oslo, Norway. Dogsled teams use the sea ice to travel and hunt, but the reduced extent of sea ice and shorter freezing season means that hunters have less time and less area to hunt on. This guide to climate change in Greenland offers everything you need to know, 5 things to know about the warming Arctic, → “Greenland’s Ice Sheet matters for four reasons”, → “2018 melt season halftime assessment”, → “How melting leads to more melting as the Arctic warms up”, → “What About the Ringed Seals as the Arctic Climate Warms?”, → “Climate change threatens the existence of Arctic musk oxen”, → “Climate Change draws invasive species to the Arctic”, Seals Help Scientists Track Climate Change, → “Seals Help Scientists Track Climate Change”, head of Greenland’s language secretariat. Aqqaluk Lynge, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, urges people to “imagine the consequences of what the influx of foreign labour will be. As countries struggle to limit future risks and overall warming to 1.5C [an increase of 2.7F], many Arctic and Greenlandic residents are already living in regional climates … Because of this, Greenland has been working to relax certain restrictions against practices that may further the effects of climate change. This affects and changes the livelihood of the Greenlandic population, … [15] It is for this reason or rather the desire to phase out Denmark's financial support entirely that the Home Rule Government strongly supports and even promotes arising opportunities in the extraction industry. So how did Greenland … Greenland has lived with extreme environmental changes for a decade or more. IPCC (2014): Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. A study conducted by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), a working group of the Arctic Council, distinguishes between short-term and long-term adaptation measures, as well as climate-centered and vulnerability-centered options. ISBN 978-1-13-884515-2. Warming temperatures also mean that fishermen can extend their seasons, allowing them to catch more fish. This work highlights a period in Greenland's ice sheet which began about 130,000 years ago and lasted about 10,000 years; a period known as the Eemian. [2][3] Rising temperatures put increasing pressure on certain plant and tree species[4] and contribute to Greenland's melting ice sheet. Similarly, warming temperatures are proving beneficial for the agricultural industry. In 2009 the Greenland Climate Research Centre was set up in the capital of Greenland, Nuuk. → “Caribou [reindeer] and mosquitoes” Climate change in Greenland is affecting the livelihood of the Greenlandic population. (2017).