Arctic sea ice surpassed all previous records for the lowest absolute minimum summer extent in September 2007. The "stunning record low" of 4.13 million square kilometers was recorded by satellite images on September 16, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The previous record, 5.32 million square kilometers, was measured on September 20-21, 2005.
The minimum for 2007 is smaller by 1.19 million square kilometers (460,000 square miles) than the previous low. 2007 also saw the extended opening of the Northwest Passage through islands north of Canada for the first time. See http://nsidc.org
Polar bears listed as "threatened" under US law due to loss of sea ice.
The polar bear was officially listed as threatened under the U.S. endangered species act (ESA) on May 14, 2008. This the first creature brought under the act's protection for habitat loss that is linked to global warming. The official reason given was loss of Arctic sea ice and predictions that the ice will continue to decrease. Although global warming has been identified by most atmospheric and polar scientists as the main reason for Arctic warming and melting of sea ice, the U.S. Interior Department did not use this as a reason and clearly signaled it would not apply the law to greenhouse gas emissions.
Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary, specifically said the listing would not prevent any sea ice from melting and that he would "make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies." This despite clear language in the ESA to control any activity causing harm to a listed species and requiring government agencies specifically not to jeopardize species by their actions. The wording of the listing document appears to be an attempt of the government to list the bear due to clear evidence of shrinking habitat yet not take all the steps to limit the loss. It seems analogous to President Bush's notorious "signing statements" limiting his acceptance of a Congressional law.
This could set up another court challenge by NGOs like the Center for Biological Diversity which originally brought the proposal and took the Interior Dept to court twice to get action.
"Threatened" under the ESA means a plant or animal may soon become endangered (at immediate risk of going extinct) if actions are not taken to protect it and its habitat.
Warming Winds, Rising Tides: Arctic
The photos below show two native Arctic villages facing immediate effects of climate change. The first is Shishmaref in Alaska, whose 580 Inupiat native Americans have voted to move because of continuing severe erosion. In the face of increasing higher and more ice free seas and thawing permafrost, concrete defenses were useless, and many houses have been lost from the edge of this narrow coastal spit. The village was established on site of traditional sealing camps along the Bering Strait, but that subsistence life is also changing due to rapid decrease in summer sea ice.
Below (see photo captions) are images from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada, on Baffin Island. This village does not have the severe coastal erosion, but land slumping is showing above the town. The most severe change here is losses and changes to ice and the seasons, making havoc with traditonal hunting and survival knowledge.
Shismaref, Alaska
Shismaref Alaska
Dust storm
erosion
On Baffin Island, across from Greenland in Nunavut, Canada, the loss of ice and permafrost is affecting daily life of native Inuits. Winter hunting and fishing is limited severely by loss of ice. In summer, permafrost is thawing, creating more erosion, and ice that once covered the surrounding mountains year long is nearly all melted. Elders in the village of Pangnirtung report that winds have shifted and winters are getting much shorter -- observations that weather records confirm.
Elisapee
Elisapee Ishulutaq, a 78 year old artist with a spry and radiant smile, was born in an outpost camp when most natives here were nomadic. They were dog sledding as late as July, she remembers, more than two months later than snow and ice breaks up now. "All the mountains were covered with glaciers." she said. "There isn't any deep snow anymore." Elisapee pointed to her younger self in black and white photos on her living room wall. She said there were stories in her childhood about a warmer future. "It was foretold by the elders that sometime the north would warm up and south would cool down."
golf
Kids in Pangnirtung have taken to golf in the increasingly dry and dusty summer months. This contrasts with Elders' memories and old photographs of villagers clad in warm skins and fir in mid-summer, playing more traditional games like tug of war while around them the mountains were snowcapped
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
Arctic sea ice surpassed all previous records for the lowest absolute minimum summer extent in September 2007. The "stunning record low" of 4.13 million square kilometers was recorded by satellite images on September 16, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The previous record, 5.32 million square kilometers, was measured on September 20-21, 2005.
The minimum for 2007 is smaller by 1.19 million square kilometers (460,000 square miles) than the previous low. 2007 also saw the extended opening of the Northwest Passage through islands north of Canada for the first time. See http://nsidc.org
Polar bears listed as "threatened" under US law due to loss of sea ice.
The polar bear was officially listed as threatened under the U.S. endangered species act (ESA) on May 14, 2008. This the first creature brought under the act's protection for habitat loss that is linked to global warming. The official reason given was loss of Arctic sea ice and predictions that the ice will continue to decrease. Although global warming has been identified by most atmospheric and polar scientists as the main reason for Arctic warming and melting of sea ice, the U.S. Interior Department did not use this as a reason and clearly signaled it would not apply the law to greenhouse gas emissions.
Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary, specifically said the listing would not prevent any sea ice from melting and that he would "make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies." This despite clear language in the ESA to control any activity causing harm to a listed species and requiring government agencies specifically not to jeopardize species by their actions. The wording of the listing document appears to be an attempt of the government to list the bear due to clear evidence of shrinking habitat yet not take all the steps to limit the loss. It seems analogous to President Bush's notorious "signing statements" limiting his acceptance of a Congressional law.
This could set up another court challenge by NGOs like the Center for Biological Diversity which originally brought the proposal and took the Interior Dept to court twice to get action.
"Threatened" under the ESA means a plant or animal may soon become endangered (at immediate risk of going extinct) if actions are not taken to protect it and its habitat.
Warming Winds, Rising Tides: Arctic
The photos below show two native Arctic villages facing immediate effects of climate change. The first is Shishmaref in Alaska, whose 580 Inupiat native Americans have voted to move because of continuing severe erosion. In the face of increasing higher and more ice free seas and thawing permafrost, concrete defenses were useless, and many houses have been lost from the edge of this narrow coastal spit. The village was established on site of traditional sealing camps along the Bering Strait, but that subsistence life is also changing due to rapid decrease in summer sea ice.
Below (see photo captions) are images from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada, on Baffin Island. This village does not have the severe coastal erosion, but land slumping is showing above the town. The most severe change here is losses and changes to ice and the seasons, making havoc with traditonal hunting and survival knowledge.
Shismaref, Alaska
Shismaref Alaska
Dust storm
erosion
On Baffin Island, across from Greenland in Nunavut, Canada, the loss of ice and permafrost is affecting daily life of native Inuits. Winter hunting and fishing is limited severely by loss of ice. In summer, permafrost is thawing, creating more erosion, and ice that once covered the surrounding mountains year long is nearly all melted. Elders in the village of Pangnirtung report that winds have shifted and winters are getting much shorter -- observations that weather records confirm.
Elisapee
Elisapee Ishulutaq, a 78 year old artist with a spry and radiant smile, was born in an outpost camp when most natives here were nomadic. They were dog sledding as late as July, she remembers, more than two months later than snow and ice breaks up now. "All the mountains were covered with glaciers." she said. "There isn't any deep snow anymore." Elisapee pointed to her younger self in black and white photos on her living room wall. She said there were stories in her childhood about a warmer future. "It was foretold by the elders that sometime the north would warm up and south would cool down."
golf
Kids in Pangnirtung have taken to golf in the increasingly dry and dusty summer months. This contrasts with Elders' memories and old photographs of villagers clad in warm skins and fir in mid-summer, playing more traditional games like tug of war while around them the mountains were snowcapped
Are you absolutely sure you want to delete this article? This process cannot be undone and is permanent.
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