Arctic Ice Project has made the difficult decision to conclude our research and begin the process of winding down operations. Learn more about our recent scientific findings and what this means for our future.

The Impact of Melting Arctic Sea Ice on Wildlife

Oct 2, 2023 | Updates from the Arctic

The rapid decline of sea ice in the Arctic, once caused by the climate crisis and now a major contributor to it, has grave consequences globally. But for the region’s delicate ecosystems and its diverse wildlife, the impacts are closer to home.The melting sea ice alters the availability of essential habitats and disrupts food webs, endangering a wide variety of species. Keep reading to get a better understanding of the impacts of sea ice melt on several key Arctic animals.

The Arctic Species Facing the Most Dire Threats

Here are some of the species that are hit hardest by Arctic sea ice loss.

The Building Block of Food Chains: Algae and Phytoplankton

Algae and phytoplankton form the foundation of Arctic marine food webs. It’s also well worth noting that all of the phytoplankton in the world’s oceans together provides half the Earth’s oxygen supply. Sea ice provides a stable environment for algae and phytoplankton to thrive and reproduce. As sea ice diminishes, the related change in sunlight penetration stimulates changes in the growth and composition of these organism communities. 

These alterations can disrupt the entire Arctic food web, beginning with the zooplankton species (like krill) that consume these organisms. Without zooplankton, seabirds, bowhead whales, and fish species like Arctic cod are left without an adequate food supply, as are the many species that rely on fish as a food source.

Beluga Whales

Sea ice is critical for Beluga whale habitat preservation. Beluga whales inhabit the Arctic waters and depend on sea ice for various activities, including mating, giving birth, and evading predators. The melting sea ice affects nearly every aspect of their lives, from food availability to migration patterns to overall habitat quality. Reduced sea ice cover can leave whales more vulnerable to shipping traffic and noise pollution and with greater exposure to predators.

Polar Bears

Polar bears are among the most iconic species affected by sea ice melt. They overwhelmingly rely on sea ice, which makes up over 96% of critical polar bear habitat. They use sea ice as a hunting platform to catch seals, their primary food source. With diminishing ice cover, polar bears face longer fasting periods, reduced hunting success, and increased energy expenditure. The loss of sea ice also limits their ability to reach important denning areas and negatively impacts their survival rates, reproductive success, and overall population size.

As a result of the ice melt, polar bears are now spending more time on land. As this trend increases, so does the risk of human contact and conflict with them.

Saimee Ringed Seals

Saimee ringed seals are a species native to Lake Saimaa in Finland. These (along with other seal species, including bearded, spotted, ribbon, harp, and hooded varieties) depend on ice and snow in multiple ways. Rising temperatures disrupt the balance of their ecosystem, affecting ice formation and reducing available breeding habitats. Lake Saimaa is a freshwater lake, however sea ice melt directly correlates with a decrease in winter lake ice cover. Seals in particular are known for their breeding site fidelity, or habit of returning to specific areas to breed each year.

In addition, without ice cover, seal pups are susceptible to both animal and human predation. Because of this double threat to reproduction and offspring survival, ringed seals are at a heightened risk of extinction.

Walruses

Walruses rely on sea ice as resting platforms between foraging bouts and as safe places for young calves to stay while their parents hunt for food. With reduced sea ice cover, walruses face increased competition for suitable haul-out sites (places to rest and breed). This leads to overcrowding and the heightened risk of stampedes, which can result in injury or death. Further, the loss of sea ice limits their access to food resources, potentially impacting their overall health and natural functions—including reproduction.

Other Threatened Species: Land Animals

Here are some examples of other species at risk due to the loss of Arctic sea ice melt.

Arctic Foxes

Arctic foxes heavily rely on sea ice as a hunting platform and breeding ground. The shrinking sea ice diminishes their access to prey, such as seals and seabirds, making it increasingly challenging to secure sufficient food sources for themselves and their young. The loss of sea ice also threatens their denning sites, leading to population decline and reduced reproductive success.

Musk Oxen

Musk oxen inhabit the Arctic tundra and have adapted to withstand harsh winters. However, the impacts of sea ice melt extend beyond the marine environment. As sea ice declines, the availability of forage plants decreases, affecting the food supply for musk oxen. This reduction in nutritious vegetation can lead to malnutrition, reduced body condition, and increased susceptibility to diseases.

Reindeer

Reindeer are an integral part of the Arctic ecosystem, supporting indigenous communities and acting as a keystone species. The decline in sea ice alters weather patterns, which in turn affects the availability and quality of reindeer forage (the grasses and plants they feed on). Changes in vegetation growth and distribution can lead to nutritional deficiencies, population declines, and increased vulnerability to parasites and predators.

Urgent global efforts are needed to mitigate the climate crisis and preserve the delicate balance of these unique habitats and the species that depend on them. Fortunately, you can make a difference with just a few clicks of your mouse.

Help Stop Arctic Sea Ice Melt With Arctic Ice Project

Arctic Ice Project’s efforts are crucial to the protection of Arctic sea ice. You can do your part in this critical fight by spreading awareness of and supporting efforts to mitigate the climate crisis. One way to do this is by donating to a climate restoration nonprofit like Arctic Ice Project. No donation is too small, though if you are not able to make a financial contribution, you can also share the message and inspire others to act through social media and by staying informed on climate projects.

With your donation you can help ensure that Arctic sea life and humanity on our planet not only sees tomorrow, but a brighter one. Please consider donating to Arctic Ice Project today!

 

What You Need to Know About Solar Radiation Management

Sep 28, 2023 | Advocacy & Action

In the face of sharply increasing global temperatures and the dire need to combat the current climate crisis, scientists and policymakers are exploring various innovative solutions. One of the most intriguing yet controversial methods gaining attention is solar radiation management. Here’s what it is and what it entails — and what the potential pros and cons of adopting this approach are.

What Is Solar Radiation Management?

Solar radiation management (SRM), also called solar geoengineering, is a term that actually refers to multiple forms of climate intervention which, theoretically, work to reduce global warming caused by greenhouse gasses. Unlike emissions reduction strategies, which focus on mitigating the root causes of the climate crisis, SRM attempts to modify the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface, effectively offsetting some of the warming effects of greenhouse gasses.

Why Does Finding Viable SRM Methods Matter?

The primary motivation behind exploring SRM is its potential to counteract the rapid increase in global temperatures. As emissions continue to rise, the world may face dire consequences, including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecological disruptions. SRM, if successfully implemented, could offer a rapid and relatively low-cost method of reducing the immediate impacts of the climate crisis.   It’s important to note that no form of SRM can replace the imperative need to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in the first place. However, it may be worthwhile to combine SRM with emission-reducing practices.   Effectively, SRM could provide a ‘safety valve’ in case emissions reduction efforts prove insufficient in limiting global warming to safe levels. Proponents argue that in combination with emission reductions, SRM could serve as a useful tool to achieve climate stabilization targets and prevent catastrophic climate scenarios. 

What Kinds of SRM Methods Are Available (and What Do They Involve)?

There are multiple proposed SRM techniques, which generally include the following:

  • Space-based Geoengineering
  • Stratospheric aerosol injection
  • Surface albedo modification
  • Ocean albedo modification
  • Marine cloud brightening

 

Space-based Geoengineering

Space-based geoengineering involves the use of space-based devices to reflect or block sunlight, thereby reducing the amount of solar energy reaching the Earth. This approach aims to counteract global warming and mitigate climate crisis effects.   One possible method of space-based solar geoengineering is creating a sunshield positioned close to the first Sun-Earth Lagrangian equilibrium point (L1), about 1.5 million kilometers sunwards of Earth. The shield could intercept a percentage of sunlight headed for Earth, effectively reducing the radiative force of greenhouse gasses. It could be designed using high-tech, low-mass scattering structures or low-tech, high-mass scatters constructed in space using local resources. Some proposals even include using dust created from asteroids to create a sunshield.   Pros:  By reflecting or blocking sunlight from space, space-based geoengineering could effectively reduce the amount of solar energy reaching Earth, helping to counteract global warming. Unlike some localized geoengineering methods, space-based approaches could also have a global impact. Finally, being deployed in space, such approaches might be less likely to interfere with Earth’s weather patterns and ecosystems.   Cons: The technology required for space-based geoengineering is highly complex and not yet fully developed. The cost of developing, launching, and maintaining space-based systems would likely be prohibitively high, while its long-term effects on Earth’s climate system are uncertain. This method of SRM could lead to unforeseen changes in weather patterns. Further,  decisions about deploying space-based geoengineering could lead to political and ethical conflicts.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) involves the intentional introduction of aerosols into the stratosphere to create a cooling effect through global dimming and increased albedo (ability to reflect light away from the earth). This method mimics the natural cooling effect that occurs after large volcanic eruptions, when particles released in the stratosphere reflect sunlight.   SAI could be implemented using various materials, including sulfur compounds, alumina, calcite, and salt, with sulfate being the most researched aerosol. The leading proposed method of delivery is custom aircraft, although other mechanisms are under consideration.    Pros: SAI may offer temporary albedo effects that can mitigate the amount of sunlight that reaches Earth, thereby intervening in the greenhouse effect. It could counter most changes to temperature and precipitation and take effect rapidly at low direct implementation costs.   Cons: SAI is widely acknowledged as the most-researched solar geoengineering method, but its implementation would require careful consideration of various factors and potential side effects. Concerns include imperfect control of the climate effects, potential negative impacts on ecology, political conflict, and unknown consequences on global health and quality of life. 

Surface Albedo Modification

Surface albedo modification is a theoretical solar geoengineering technique that aims to reflect more sunlight back to space by enhancing Earth’s albedo — the measure of sunlight reflected off the Earth’s surface — by modifying land or land-based structures. The proposals for albedo modification are diverse and include growing crops that reflect more light, clearing boreal forests in snow-covered areas, covering large desert or ice areas with reflective materials, and whitening mountaintops and roofs with white paint.    Essentially, the goal is to create large surfaces with a higher albedo, reflecting more solar radiation and thus theoretically reducing the temperature of the atmosphere.    Pros: This method could increase the amount of solar radiation reflected away from the Earth’s surface.   Cons: Surface albedo modification would not reduce the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Moreover, there could be unwanted side effects on ecosystems, fauna, flora, and human communities that depend on those ecosystems.

Ocean Albedo Modification

Like land-based albedo modification, ocean albedo modification aims to increase the reflectivity of the ocean’s surface. This is typically achieved by creating microbubbles or using reflective materials on the water’s surface.    Pros: By increasing the ocean’s albedo, more sunlight is reflected back into space, rather than being absorbed by the ocean. This can help to reduce global warming by lowering the Earth’s overall temperature.   Cons: Ocean albedo modification is still in the experimental stage and involves complex processes and potential ecological impacts that need to be carefully studied and understood. It represents a novel approach to climate crisis mitigation, but requires further research to assess its feasibility, effectiveness, and potential side effects.

Marine Cloud Brightening

Marine cloud brightening works to increase the reflectivity of clouds over the ocean. By spraying fine droplets of seawater into the atmosphere, the method seeks to create or enhance cloud condensation nuclei, leading to the formation of brighter, more reflective clouds. These clouds would then reflect more sunlight back into space, reducing the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface.    Pros: Marine cloud brightening may offer an effective organic form of solar radiation management.   Cons: This concept has been proposed and studied in theoretical and modeling contexts, but currently, it remains largely untested in the real world, and its potential impacts on weather patterns and ecosystems are not fully understood.

Help Address the Climate Crisis With Arctic Ice Project

Arctic Ice Project’s efforts are crucial to the protection of Arctic sea ice. Our team is developing reflective materials and strategies to increase the albedo of this precious ice, mimicking natural processes to reflect solar energy out of our atmosphere and restore the Arctic.   You can do your part in this critical fight by spreading awareness of and supporting efforts to mitigate the climate crisis. One way to do this is by donating to a climate restoration nonprofit like Arctic Ice Project. No donation is too small, though if you are not able to make a financial contribution, you can also share the message and inspire others to act through social media and by staying informed on climate projects.   Please consider donating to Arctic Ice Project today!  

The Looming Threat: What Happens if the Gulf Stream Shuts Down?

Sep 20, 2023 | Updates from the Arctic

Given the increasing frequency and severity of extreme temperatures and natural disasters now occurring all around the world, it’s fairly clear that the current global climate crisis has grave impacts on our weather. What many people may not realize is that this is caused in part by changes to the ocean currents, which directly impact weather patterns. If appropriate climate intervention doesn’t happen immediately, these currents — including the Gulf Stream — will continue to be altered, with catastrophic results.

 

Here’s what you need to know.

What Is the Gulf Stream?

The Gulf Stream is a strong, fast ocean current that carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean in a northeastern direction, toward Iceland, the UK, and Europe. There, it mixes with cold North Atlantic water. It’s part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a complex system of ocean currents that transport warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic.

Why Is the Gulf Stream Important?

The Gulf Stream — a powerful part of the AMOC system — plays a pivotal role in regulating Earth’s climate, and is at risk of collapsing. 

 

In fact, recent studies suggest that the Gulf Stream could collapse as early as 2025, although estimates range up to 2095. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been more conservative in its projections, stating that a collapse this century is unlikely. However, some experts argue that the models used may not fully capture the nonlinear processes in its decline, potentially underestimating the risks.

 

The consequences of such an event would be catastrophic, affecting weather patterns, sea levels, and even agriculture on a global scale. Here’s what will happen if the Gulf Stream continues to deteriorate and why immediate action is necessary.

How Does the Gulf Stream Affect Climate?

The heat that the Gulf Stream brings to the North Atlantic heavily shapes the climate not only in Western Europe and the rest of the continent, but in the entire Northern Hemisphere. However, the Gulf Stream current has been weakening due to significant melting of the Greenland ice cap and Arctic sea ice, and the influx of freshwater sources. This dilutes the salinity (salt levels) of the ocean, reducing its density and causing the Gulf Stream to shut down. In turn, the natural flow of other ocean currents is being impacted as well, which upsets the balance of climate and weather worldwide.

If the Gulf Stream Stopped Running, How Would the Climates of North America and Europe Be Affected?

Here’s what will happen to climates in the Northern Hemisphere and beyond if the Gulf Stream shuts down completely.

Temperature Changes

If the warm Gulf Stream collapses, Western Europe would experience a dramatic drop in temperatures. A collapse could result in temperature drops of up to 10 or 15 degrees Celsius. This would have a domino effect on agriculture, energy consumption, and even human health, as colder temperatures could lead to increased respiratory issues.

Sea Level Rise

The eastern coast of North America would not be spared either. A collapse of the Gulf Stream would lead to a significant rise in sea levels in this region. This would exacerbate existing problems of coastal erosion and flooding, putting cities like New York and Boston at greater risk. The economic implications would be enormous, affecting property values and requiring massive investments in coastal defenses.

Global Agricultural Disruption

The collapse of the Gulf Stream would also severely disrupt the global water cycle, affecting rainfall patterns essential for agriculture elsewhere in the world. Countries in India, South America, and West Africa would be particularly hard-hit. Reduced rainfall and altered weather patterns could lead to crop failures, food shortages, and increased prices, affecting billions of people worldwide.

Ecological Consequences

The ecological impact would be devastating as well. The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth,” would be further endangered, leading to a loss of biodiversity and increased carbon dioxide levels. Similarly, the Antarctic ice sheets would face further melting, contributing to global sea level rise and disrupting marine ecosystems.

What Can Be Done to Save the Gulf Stream?

The most effective way to prevent the collapse of the Gulf Stream is to take multifaceted approaches to mitigating climate change. This includes many solutions many people are already familiar with, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, and protecting and restoring forests, which act as carbon sinks. 

 

Another lesser-known yet equally essential intervention strategy is to find ways to slow and stop the melting of Arctic sea ice. Preserving this ice will help to reduce the influx of freshwater into the ocean, one of the primary factors weakening the Gulf Stream. It can also work to uphold the integrity of the larger AMOC system and keep the planet from climate devastation.

Help Protect Essential Sea Ice With Arctic Ice Project

Arctic Ice Project’s efforts are crucial to the protection of Arctic sea ice. Our team is developing reflective materials and strategies to increase the albedo of this precious ice, mimicking natural processes to reflect solar energy out of our atmosphere and restore the Arctic.

 

You can do your part in this critical fight by spreading awareness of and supporting efforts to mitigate the climate crisis. One way to do this is by donating to a climate restoration nonprofit like Arctic Ice Project. No donation is too small, though if you are not able to make a financial contribution, you can also share the message and inspire others to act through social media and by staying informed on climate projects.

 

With your donation of cash, stocks, bonds, or even the opening of a DAF, you can help ensure that Arctic sea life and humanity on our planet not only sees tomorrow, but a brighter one. Please consider donating to Arctic Ice Project today!

 

The Necessity of Climate Intervention: Why Immediate Action Is Critical

Jun 14, 2023 | Advocacy & Action, News and Media

The Necessity of Climate Intervention:

Why Immediate Action Is Critical
The issue of climate change is no longer a fringe subject; it has evolved into a dire and imminent global crisis. With the Earth’s average temperature steadily rising, the impacts of climate change are already apparent: we’ve already witnessed the increasing severity of natural disasters, loss of species, rising sea levels, and loss of human life. This is why immediate climate intervention is not just a priority, but an essential requirement for human survival.

 

 

The Current State of Climate Crisis

Climate change refers to the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns caused by global warming. The burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas have rapidly escalated this phenomenon over the past few decades.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global temperature is expected to rise by 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate. This rise in temperature is driving more frequent and severe weather changes, contributing to an array of devastating effects.

The Environmental Importance of Arctic Sea Ice and Its Vulnerability to the Climate Crisis

Arctic sea ice plays an indispensable role in the global environment and climate. However, it’s currently disappearing due to the consequences of climate change.

 

The Role of Arctic Ice in Global Climate Regulation

Arctic ice serves as a crucial global temperature regulator. Its white surface reflects sunlight back into space, a phenomenon known as the albedo effect. This process is essential for maintaining the Earth’s energy balance and keeping global temperatures stable.

Moreover, the Arctic region acts as a “global air conditioner” by producing cold air masses that influence wind patterns and weather conditions worldwide. It also helps regulate ocean currents, as the cold, dense water in the polar regions sinks and drives the circulation of warm and cold water, known as thermohaline circulation.

Lastly, Arctic ice is home to a diverse range of species, many of which are specially adapted to life in the extreme conditions of the polar environment. This biodiversity plays an essential role in maintaining the health of the global ecosystem.

 

Dangers of the climate crisis:

Rising Sea Levels: Melting polar ice caps contribute to rising sea levels, threatening low-lying areas and islands.

Heatwaves and Droughts: Increased temperatures can trigger devastating heatwaves and droughts, impacting food production and water supply.

Extreme Weather Events: Climate change leads to more frequent and severe storms, hurricanes, and floods, causing damage to infrastructure and loss of life.

Loss of Biodiversity: Changing climates can lead to habitat loss, causing a decline in species diversity and triggering ecosystem imbalances.

 

The Dangers of Climate Crisis

Uncontrolled climate change poses significant risks to both the natural world and human societies, as it causes not just the loss of essential natural resources, but the disruption of economies. The climate crisis is already causing the following:

  1. Rising Sea Levels: Melting polar ice caps contribute to rising sea levels, threatening low-lying areas and islands.
  2. Heatwaves and Droughts: Increased temperatures can trigger devastating heatwaves and droughts, impacting food production and water supply.
  3. Extreme Weather Events: Climate change leads to more frequent and severe storms, hurricanes, and floods, causing damage to infrastructure and loss of life.
  4. Loss of Biodiversity: Changing climates can lead to habitat loss, causing a decline in species diversity and triggering ecosystem imbalances.

The Threat of Climate Change to Arctic Ice

Climate change poses a severe threat to the integrity of Arctic ice. Rising global temperatures are causing Arctic sea ice to melt at an alarming rate. According to NOAA Climate.gov, Arctic sea ice has been declining by about 13% per decade since satellite records began in the late 1970s.

When Arctic ice melts, it disrupts the albedo effect, leading to a vicious cycle known as a positive feedback loop. This actually worsens climate change. As the ice melts, it reveals darker water or land underneath, causing the water to absorb more sunlight rather than reflecting it. This in turn leads to more warming and more ice melting, accelerating both the loss of arctic ice and the many other severe consequences of the climate crisis.

 

Why Immediate Climate Intervention Is Essential

Given the urgent and severe threats posed by climate change, immediate climate intervention is essential. Climate intervention (also called geoengineering) is defined as the deliberate alteration of mechanisms in the Earth’s environment or atmosphere that ultimately work to reduce the impact of the climate crisis. 

Here are some of the key reasons climate intervention or geoengineering is imperative:

Ensuring Human Security

Climate change poses significant threats to human security, including water and food scarcity, displacement, and conflict over resources. Immediate intervention can help safeguard these essential aspects of human life.

Protecting Biodiversity

Climate intervention can help conserve the world’s biodiversity by protecting habitats from the impacts of climate change. Biodiversity is crucial as it contributes to the resilience of ecosystems and provides invaluable resources for human survival.

Upholding Economic Stability

The economic cost of climate change is staggering, from damage to infrastructure due to extreme weather events to lost productivity due to health issues. Timely intervention can help to save trillions of dollars: as of 2022, the acceleration of climate change and the resulting climate crisis had already cost $2.2 trillion in economic losses.

Mitigating Adverse Effects

While the earth is already experiencing many consequences of climate change, immediate intervention can help mitigate current and future adverse effects. By cutting greenhouse gas emissions, we can slow down global warming and subsequently reduce the frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters.

Preserving Future Generations

Immediate action is necessary to preserve the planet for future generations. If we do not act now, the consequences of climate change will only become more severe, leaving a compromised world for our descendants.

 

All images were taken by Carol Sontag during her trip to Greenland. 

Greenland: Reflections from a Melting Planet

Nov 8, 2022 | Updates from the Arctic

The first thing I noticed after touching down in the western Greenland settlement of Kangerlussuuaq was barren rock and a gray, sediment-choked river.

It was day one of traveling with a group led by Rising Seas Institute and Oceanographer John Englander. As we stood on a new bridge that spans the Watson River, my heart dropped as we learned the reason for the new bridge: accelerated melt from glaciers and flooded ice dams washed the bridge away ten years ago and it had just been reconstructed.

This grim story of the Watson River flood foreshadowed our journey through this beautiful, treacherous, and mostly frozen island called Greenland. Reminders of a rapidly changing environment were everywhere.

We continued on to Iluulisat, a thriving port town, its bay filled with icebergs so enormous they resembled a bleached Manhattan skyline. The iceberg that sank the RMS Titanic is said to have split from the Kangia Glacier that feeds into this very bay. The difference of course, between 1912 and now, is the undeniable acceleration of calving and loss of ice and water from the Greenland Ice Sheet. 

 

It is hard to see these floating ice sculptures and their sheer size as anything but beautiful when traveling in a boat among them.

Flying over the massive ice sheet reveals a much different story. To view the frozen terrain from the air reveals the destructive forces behind the beauty we had sailed through. Glaciers retreat from the sea and the radiant blue pock marks of melt ponds scar the ice sheet.

The melt ponds form rivers that seem to disappear into the ice via mulons or vertical shafts. Black soot, dirt, mold and pulverized rock dust give the ice sheet a tired, worn look. The loss becomes more evident at the edge of the sheet, where the calving occurs. Thunderous booms echo across the valley as huge chunks of ice fall into the bay.

 

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In a perfect world, fresh snow and ice would cover the ice sheet, as it used to. There would be markedly fewer melt ponds and the scarred, cracked surface would be hidden under a radiant blanket of snow and ice. But this is not a perfect world.

The Greenland Ice Sheet, if it were to disappear, would raise sea levels by 30 feet.

The critical role that ice plays in keeping our planet cool, be it sea ice or land ice, is nowhere more evident than in Greenland.

We must do something to slow the loss of ice in the Arctic. 

I share this story with you today, in the face of political inaction, because witnessing the devastation climate change has already caused, first hand, has inspired in me a new urgency for action. We can wait no longer. The world’s governments are failing to meet this moment and so we find ourselves in positions where we must each step up and join the fight for our planet’s future – for our future and next generations.

Time is not on our side, but at Arctic Ice Project we are working to change that. Arctic Ice Project has developed and is researching a promising technology that improves the reflectivity of sea ice. By mimicking the natural reflective properties of ice, AIP methods can reflect solar energy out of our atmosphere, shepherding sea ice to survive the increasingly long, warm and intense Arctic summers. Our solution, strategically and safely applied in the Arctic, could provide up to 15 more years for our world’s economies to decarbonize and draw down GHGs from the atmosphere. Decarbonization is the ultimate solution, however our window of opportunity is limited and we need to take action now. I have committed myself to being part of this exciting research solution and I encourage you to join me. 

This Giving Tuesday (just three weeks away), we are raising money to fund the next round of research towards ensuring our technology is safe and effective. We rely exclusively on private donations to support our research and need your help to reach our goal of $50,000 to continue our progress. Climate change action can’t be postponed another day, week or year – I urge you to help us meet this goal today.

 

With gratitude,

Carol Sontag

AIP Board of Directors

 

All images were taken by Carol Sontag during her trip to Greenland.