Climate change is exceptionally pronounced in the Arctic, and is a direct byproduct of fossil fuel extraction and combustion. The altered greenhouse gas composition has catalyzed climate change, resulting in changes in Arctic ecosystems and environments noted by both Arctic Indigenous Peoples and Western scientists. One manifestation of Arctic climate change is diminished shorefast sea ice which acts as a barrier against storm surges leaving communities located on the coast susceptible to flooding and sea level rise. Current solutions are to transplant entire villages further inland or to higher elevation, or to relocate. The authors of the study featured in this National Geographic article find that summer sea ice in the Arctic is projected to disappear by summer 2035. I had the opportunity to highlight that despite the challenges and changes Iñupiaq people are facing with respect to climate change, we are forward looking and preparing for the future of the Arctic.
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