In this July 24, 2017 file photo, an iceberg floats past Bylot Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Arctic Report Card, released on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, shows how warming temperatures in the Arctic are transforming the region's geography and ecosystems. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
By Christina Larson
This year's vast wildfires in far northeastern Russia were linked to broader changes in a warming Arctic, according to a report Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Wildfires are a natural part of many boreal ecosystems. But the extent of flames during the 2020 fire season was unprecedented in the 2001-2020 satellite record, and is consistent with the predicted effects of climate change, said Alison York, a University of Alaska Fairbanks fire scientist and a contributor to the annual Arctic Report Card.
The recent wildfires were exacerbated by elevated air temperatures and decreased snow cover on the ground in the Arctic region, the report found.
The past year — from October 2019 to September 2020 — was the second warmest on record in the Arctic, the report said. And the extent of snow on the ground in June across the Eurasian Arctic was the lowest recorded in 54 years.
Under those conditions, trees and plants “are just more flammable,” said York.
“The Arctic isn’t just this collection of components, it’s really an integrated system,” said Dartmouth sea ice scientist Don Perovich, who contributed to the report. "When something happens to one part of the system, it has cascading effects," he said.
Satellites recorded the second lowest extent of sea ice in September since record-keeping began 42 years ago, the report found.
Melting ice is both a result of increased temperatures and an accelerator of further changes, Perovich said. “As sea ice thins, more light can penetrate into the ocean, with unclear impacts for ecosystems,” he said.
As snow and ice cover decreases, the land and ocean surfaces also absorb more heat.
“Changes in the Arctic climate are important because the Arctic acts as a refrigerator for the rest of the world — it helps cool the planet,” said Lawrence Mudryk, a report contributor and a climate scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, a governmental research group.
“How much of the Arctic continues to be covered by snow and sea ice reflects part of how efficiently that refrigerator is working,” he said.
Last year's report included essays and research contributed by the Arctic's Indigenous communities for the first time. But in 2020, close collaboration between visiting scientists and Indigenous communities was not possible because of travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
Report contributor Matthew Druckenmiller, a climate scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, said efforts to involve Indigenous communities would resume after the pandemic subsides.
The consequences of a warming Arctic are already felt far beyond the region.
“The Arctic continues to be a warning siren of how our Earth system is changing and it is important for policymakers and the public to understand that the impacts don’t stay in the Arctic with the polar bears,” said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd, who was not involved in the report.
“We feel them, too, through changes in our weather patterns, sea level rise, and fisheries."
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Yat Labs Co-Founder breaks down how a 'Yat' is changing the way people think about their online identities; Scythe Robotics CEO explains how it's bringing innovation to the landscaping industry with its autonomous, all-electric mowers; Founder of California Cowboy discusses how its creating clothing designed for creating in-person connections with others with features like a beverage pocket, bottle opener, and conversation cards; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Beyond the Spotlight' biography series.
Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos took to the stage at the U.N.'s COP26 Climate Summit to unveil a new plan to combat climate change, but some say it might do more harm than good. Justine Calma, Science Reporter at The Verge, joined Cheddar to discuss.
Pfizer has asked the FDA to expand authorization of COVID booster shots for all adults. The agency is expected to grant the request in the coming weeks, allowing vaccinated Americans as young as 18 to get boosted before the holidays. Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, Regional Clinical Director at Carbon Health, joined Cheddar to discuss.
Wood modification technology company Kebony recently raised $34 million in its latest funding round. The company's patented technology transformed sustainable softwood using leftover materials and makes it into a product that behaves like premium hardwood. The process has the potential to transform the global construction industry, as it is cost-effective and eco-friendly. Kebony CEO Norman Willemsen joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Emma Searson, an author on the just-released Renewables on the Rise report and the director, 100% Renewable Campaign at Environment America, joined Cheddar to discuss the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. Between 2011 and 2020, the report shows that wind, solar, and geothermal energy production grew about 15 percent annually and that wind and solar alone account for 11 percent of electricity in the country. "There are a few really important drivers of the renewable energy progress that we're seeing all across the country," Searson said, highlighting falling prices, technology improvements, and supportive policies.
On this episode of 'Cheddar Reveals', Lydia McMullen-Laird and Samuel McMullen, co-founders of Live Zero Waste, discuss the sum of humanity's 'trash addiction' and lifestyle changes people can make to help reduce their individual trash output; Ryan Lupberger, Sustainability Pioneer and CEO of Cleancult, breaks down how Cleancult is redefining cleaning products and solutions to reduce their impact on the planet; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Going Circular.'
The U.S. has reopened its borders for fully vaccinated international visitors, ending a ban on foreign travelers that started more than a year ago. It's a welcome change for families separated by the pandemic and a sign of hope for the battered travel industry. Steve Shur, president of the The Travel Technology Association, discusses the new rules and how they could propel the travel industry into a post-pandemic boom.
