Article originally published in Ecologist by Professor Robert Spicer

About 70 million years ago, hundreds of miles of forest grew in the Arctic. If there had been land in the Arctic, forests would have covered the entire Arctic.

Most of the trees are coniferous, up to ten meters tall, and their needles fall off in winter. And those ferns, algae, and herbs grow underground. Dinosaurs roamed the forest, accompanied by insects, turtles, birds and many invertebrates.

The average maximum temperature in summer is 15 degrees Celsius, and in winter it approaches freezing freezing. At that time, sea level was 60 meters higher than it is now. But a lot has changed.

Explore the Arctic

I first visited the Arctic 40 years ago with the US Geological Survey. My mission is to collect plant fossils and understand past climate changes in the Arctic.

As a young scientist, I traveled a lot, but the Arctic was very different from the places I'd been. The sea ice on the coast accumulates into ice beaches due to the leeward wind. This is the uniqueness of the Arctic. Seeing the vastness of the Arctic also made me feel the purity and independence of this piece of freedom for the first time.

But ten years later, when I set foot on the Arctic again, I truly understood how unique it is.

I traveled on a small boat to the heart of Arctic Alaska for six weeks. At that time, the upper reaches of the Colville River were clear and clear. I picked up a ladle of water from the side of the boat and it was so clean and sweet.

The wind blowing through the tundra and the ripples on the river were the only sounds in the Arctic, untouched by industrial oil rigs and ships. I instantly realized that I was an intruder and had inadvertently offended the wild bears, foxes, and wolves that lived here. You have to walk more quietly and be more alert to your surroundings, so you can discover more surprises.

Learn to respect the natural environment, because we always rely on nature to live. At the same time, we also rely on the natural forces provided by the Arctic - we just don't realize it yet.

The future of the Arctic

The fossilized plant leaves and skeletons I found during my travels in Alaska and northern Russia illustrated another Arctic I had not experienced; a warmer Arctic.

My research can tell more about the differences between the future and the past. Research shows that there are potential factors that will cause the planet to warm in the future.

It is not inconceivable that the forests I have described may reappear in the Arctic in the near future. Excluding some small areas in the Antarctic, the Arctic is the region on earth most susceptible to warming. Whether Earth's climate warms or cools, the changes are felt most strongly at the poles.

Global temperatures have begun to climb due to man-made climate change. The Arctic is melting rapidly, reducing its ability to cool the Earth. Moreover, when the Arctic permafrost begins to collapse, large amounts of methane will be released, accelerating warming.

Some people think there is enough time - not so! A few years ago, experts thought it would be centuries before Arctic summer ice melted completely. Now, within just a few decades, commercial ships have been sailing the Arctic on a regular basis.

It also means the threat of rapid sea level rise is happening sooner than we think. Although melting sea ice does not directly cause sea level rise, rapidly disintegrating ice caps may accelerate sea level rise faster than we expect, flooding coastal cities, forcing residents to migrate in large numbers, and greatly polluting the ocean.

Risks of uncontrolled industrialization

We can’t prevent climate change now—because it’s already happening—but we can try to limit its extent. One way to do this is to protect this unique area of ​​the Arctic and prevent evil forces from taking advantage of the melting of the Arctic to accelerate destruction.

The extremely special Arctic sea is home to unexplored biological species and unimaginable historical torrents. It is also the core of human survival. However, the fragile Arctic lacks strong protection.

As the Arctic ice melts, the international high seas in the center of the Arctic sea are forced to open up, increasing profit opportunities for oil exploration, shipping and navigation, and large-scale industrial fishing.

If we allow these commercial practices to continue, Arctic ecosystems will deteriorate further, jeopardizing the Earth’s past ability to regulate itself.

The center of the Arctic sea may seem like a harsh and barren area, but in fact, it is home to species of life that are found nowhere else on Earth. Arctic and sub-Arctic seas are the most vulnerable biospheres in the world.

Bathed in sunshine 24 hours a day in the summer, the Arctic is home to ice-dependent mammals such as polar bears, seals, walruses, whales, and numerous seabirds. Sponges and cold-water corals sprawl across the ocean floor and are home to vast populations of fish, but little is known about these hitherto inaccessible ecosystems.

Protecting Arctic Sea Ice

Arctic sea ice forms the basis of the marine food chain.

The smallest microorganisms and plankton live beneath the ice and are eaten by Arctic cod. Cod, in turn, is preyed upon by seals, which in turn become the staple food of polar bears.

Seals also use the ice to give birth and care for their babies. Polar bears are the unique and most iconic Arctic animals that roam the sea ice that is their home. Polar organisms are exposed to risks due to human activities such as oil drilling, industrial fishing, shipping, and seabed excavation.

Opening up more commercial opportunities to the Arctic before we have begun to fully understand the marine ecosystems beneath the ice is simply destructive and regressive.

Greenpeace dinghy on the Esmarksbreen glacier in Svalbard, Ymerbukta.

The science of climate change leaves no doubt that we cannot rush to burn the fossil fuels we have discovered. We should not increase Arctic environmental risks by developing and stockpiling fossil fuels. If the next generation knew about it, they would think we were crazy.

Establish an Arctic protected area

The establishment of the Antarctic Convention was a beacon of hope for the Arctic, indicating that we could establish protected areas for research and future generations. Unfortunately, opponents will always find ways to reduce current protections, but they are still defended. The best way to protect the two poles is to have the same protection for the Arctic.

I am one of thousands of scientists, politicians, and cultural leaders who signed the Arctic Statement and established Arctic protected areas. Protecting the Arctic's unique creatures from oil drilling, shipping, and industrial fishing.

Now, more than six million people from all over the world have joined in protecting the Arctic.

Determining such a policy would require global political clout, but it is not unattainable because the Antarctic Reserve has been established. Currently, the international community is responding.

We are running out of time to protect the Arctic. If, as a species, we are capable of achieving this difficult and possible task, let's do our best.
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