- Providing up-to-date and reliable information on the effects of climate change in the Arctic, in order to stimulate policies and actions that combat climate change
- Supporting field-based projects in the Arctic where information on climate change is generated or collected.
- Assisting in the development and implementation of adaptation strategies for species, ecosystems, and cultures in coping with a changing climate in the Arctic.
Arctic climate change
Observations, whether from satellites, sensors, or from people who live in the Arctic tell the same story – the Arctic climate is changing.
How is the Arctic affected by climate change?
Climate change is faster and more severe in the Arctic than in most of the rest of the world. The Arctic is warming at a rate of almost twice the global average.Summer sea ice is disappearing
The sea ice that is a critical component of Arctic marine ecosystems is projected to disappear in the summer within a generation.- Arctic sea ice has decreased 14% since the 1970s.
- In 2012, Arctic sea ice extent hit the lowest level ever recorded, breaking the previous record set in 2007.
- By 2040, summer sea ice could be limited to the northern coast of Greenland and Canada. This is the Last Ice Area.
The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the world
Why? Shiny ice and snow reflect a high proportion of the sun's energy into space. As the Arctic loses snow and ice, bare rock and water absorb more and more of the sun’s energy, making it ever warmer. This is called the albedo effect.A small temperature shift can have enormous implications
Even an increase of 2°C could be too much. A slight shift in temperature, bringing averages above the freezing point, will completely alter the character of the region. - Polar bears could become extinct by the end of this century if there is an almost complete loss of summer sea ice cover.
- As snow and ice melt, the ability of the Arctic to reflect heat back to space is reduced, accelerating the overall rate of global warming.
- Some arctic fisheries will disappear.
- We are likely to see more forest fires and storm damage to coastal communities in the Arctic.
- Glaciers, sea ice and tundra will melt, contributing to global sea level rises.
- A warmer Arctic could halt the Gulf Stream, which brings warmer water and weather to north-western Europe.
Arctic change affects everyone
Climate change in the Arctic is not just a local problem -- it's a global problem.
The feedbacks from the Arctic are increasing global sea levels, they are predicted to change global climate and precipitation patterns, and the effects of climate change on Arctic species are likely to be felt globally.
The feedbacks from the Arctic are increasing global sea levels, they are predicted to change global climate and precipitation patterns, and the effects of climate change on Arctic species are likely to be felt globally.
What WWF is doing
Key contact
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Martin Sommerkorn
Head of Conservation
WWF Norway,
Oslo
Arctic climate change news
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The Kiruna Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council – WWF input
This week, Ministers will meet one last time in Sweden, as the chairmanship of the Arctic Council transitions to Canada. Here is WWF's input.
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Environment ministers must reach across boundaries to protect Arctic
Arctic Environment ministers meeting in Sweden today should seize the chance to commit to working on conservation beyond national boundaries, says conservation organization WWF.
