The place that never freezes: the Arctic habitat where global heating threatens more ice, not less
The race to study the North Water between Canada and Greenland before it changes has led to a bold plan for an Inuit-run protected area
TL;DR
- Terry Noah is collecting scientific data in Grise Fiord, Nunavut, to monitor changes in the North Water, a vital Arctic polynya.
- The North Water is a large, year-round polynya that supports a rich ecosystem and is proposed as an internationally protected area.
- Canada has designated its half of the Sarvarjuaq marine protected area, but Greenland's involvement is delayed.
- Warming temperatures are causing the Nares Strait ice arch, which keeps the polynya open, to fail more often, potentially leading to a collapse in productivity.
- Scientists are developing an "observatory" to monitor the polynya, requiring collaboration between Inuit communities in Canada and Greenland.
- Inuit are increasingly using technology like smart glasses and social media to share data and knowledge about their changing environment.