Environment and Science
Here, you can explore the key environmental processes shaping the Arctic today. Topics such as permafrost thaw, permafrost coastal erosion, and ongoing scientific research highlight how rapid environmental change is transforming Arctic landscapes and ecosystems.
The Arctic is a key region for the study of global environmental change. Its unique ecosystems and extreme conditions make it a natural laboratory for scientific research, where changes often occur faster and more visibly than in other parts of the world. Scientists monitor these processes through field studies, long‑term observations, and international research networks to better understand how the Arctic responds to rising temperatures.
Research conducted in the Arctic provides valuable insights into climate dynamics, sea‑level rise, ecosystem stability, and carbon cycles. Because many Arctic environmental processes have effects beyond the region itself, studying them helps improve our understanding of environmental change at both regional and global scales.
Education material in slideshow format with information text about the environment and science in the arctic.
Most of the permafrost existing today was formed during the last ice age, from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago. Thicker permafrost was formed in areas that were not glaciated because of the ground surface was exposed to cold air instead of been covered by glacier.
Coastal erosion is the gradual loss of land and sediment along coastlines, a phenomenon prevalent in the Arctic due to a mix of thermal and mechanical drivers.
Permafrost is defined as ground, soil or rock, including ice or organic material, that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years.
RoPON is a comprehensive catalog of observing systems and organizations coordinating monitoring activities and infrastructure across the Arctic, Antarctic, and Southern Oceans.
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