The statue stood at 1.8 metres high – as high as the disappearing arctic sea ice is thick.

In touching this sculpture visitors made a direct connection with the polar bear and its ice-locked home.

As many hands helped to warm and melt the bear, revealing the bronze skeleton within, this changing sculpture brought home to each person how people have the power to affect the delicate balance of nature.

 

The strength of art and science

While science underpins all of WWF’s work, the organisation recognises it takes more than just the facts to reach people.

The power of art melded with science made for a good opportunity for both WWF and the Ice Bear Project to make a real impact during the climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

The Copenhagen Ice Bear was carved on Nytorv Square by sculptor Mark Coreth and his team from a ten tonne block of ice that encased the 500kg bronze skeleton.

When it was finished at 2pm on Saturday December 5 it formed part of the opening event of the WWF International Arctic Programme Tent in central Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference.

 

The inspiration

Mark witnessed the effects of climate change when he first travelled to Baffin Island during November 2007.

He knew that few people would ever experience the Arctic for themselves, but realised that he could bring the Arctic to everyone in the form of an Ice Bear sculptural event.

 

Why choose the polar bear?

• Polar bears are unlikely to survive as a species if there is an almost complete loss of summer sea-ice cover. The five countries where polar bears live agreed this year they cannot meet their obligations to protect the bears if the ice goes.

 

• The summer sea-ice cover in the Arctic Ocean has both shrunk and thinned by 45% since the 1970s, losing 70% of its former volume. It is projected to disappear completely in less than 30 years.

 

• The negative impacts on both the peoples and animals of the Arctic are likely to be far greater than any benefits they may gain from a warming Arctic, as climate changes threaten to undermine ecosystems and cultures that have endured for thousands of years.

Video: The Ice Bear Project

Video: creating an Ice Bear skeleton