HR!Day461 - The Arctic in a Warming World
- --- Humanity Rising Day 461 - Friday April 22, 2022 (GoTo Bottom)
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Today we will look at drone photographyover an isolated archipelago in the Arctic Circle as global warming radically changes the environment and life conditions for wildlife.
Svalbard is an isolated archipelago that lies deep in the Arctic Circle. These islands are home to 300 polar bears, a population that remains in place, rather than migrating, as most polar bears do. The bears and many other animals, including the Svalbard reindeer, Arctic Fox and more, are vulnerable to changing climate in a way that is as unique as the islands themselves. Svalbard is warming 7 times faster than the rest of the planet. With this warming comes extreme changes to the ecosystems here. Sea ice is disappearing faster in spring, which makes hunting much more difficult for polar bears. Warming tundra and rain falling on snow are making it difficult for reindeer and other plant dependent species to get to their food. White foxes find themselves in a brown world before their fur has the chance to shift to their brown summer coat.
The swiftness of change in Svalbard provides us all with an opportunity. To see how several degrees of warming can change a landscape provides a dramatic warning to heed the calls for immediate action on climate change. What is happening in Svalbard is emblematic of changes occurring all over the planet, at a slower rate. The Arctic Arts Project brings you the science through imagery and information. We give you visual literacy on your world, so you can see the pace of change, in real time. Join us for a Livestream on Earth Day. Let us show you Svalbard, a most vulnerable place on our planet, and share our understanding of our changing planet and we can do to prevent the catastrophic loss of critical ecosystems everywhere.
Participants:
- Kerry Koepping Executive Director – Arctic Arts Project Research Affiliate – Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research – University of Colorado Kerry is an internationally acclaimed environmental photographer, visionary, and communicator dedicated to the stewardship of the environment and the Arctic. He is the founder of the non-profit Arctic Arts Project and is dedicated to strengthening environmental sustainability by illuminating environmental problems and issues through the use of science and visual literacy. His work has been published in prestigious media channels throughout the world including; Smithsonian, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), ECO, National Academy of Science, AMAP, Arctic Today, CAFF, The Arctic Council and the U. S. Arctic Research Commission. Kerry has also been a speaker and panelist at international forums and conferences on climate change including: the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland , The Visual Climate Change Forum at The University of Indonesia, Jakarta, AREDAY Conference, Aspen, and the “Engaging Climate through the Arts” speaker series in the U.S.. Kerry’s unique vision for the Arctic Arts Project evolved while shooting in Denali, Alaska where he captured rarely seen permafrost polygon hummock imagery that to this day has evoked a passionate global response from naturalists, scientists and artists alike.
- Andrea Sparrow Executive Producer – Arctic Arts Project Affiliate – Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research – University of Colorado Andrea is an award-winning photographer, a filmmaker and a writer. She has paid close attention to the impact of humanity on the natural systems of our world for more than 30 years. Andrea is passionate about communicating the science of climate change and the strategies we have for mitigating our impact and adapting to our changing planet. Traveling extensively to remote places has given Andrea a window into the natural world, from the tiniest plants and creatures to the great vistas gained from the air. Patterns are revealed at all levels that hold regardless of scale. “I find comfort in this because, while there are a great many components, it feels as though they assemble in similar ways into all living systems that have an inherent symbiosis. Understanding this is to understand the very underpinnings of life on earth. Our instinctive desire for comfort and safety has led us to endanger ourselves. Yet we seem unable to adjust to a less comfortable way of being, in order to preserve the very environment we require to survive.” Andrea is an artist, a scientist and an explorer at heart, driven by a desire to understand and possibly, through her visual communications mediums, help change this trajectory on which we find ourselves.
- Florian Ledoux Collaborator: Arctic Arts Project Florian is an internationally celebrated wildlife photographer. He has won Drone Photographer of the Year for several years, as well as dozens of honors and prizes in competitions with his exceptional imagery from all over the polar regions. His work is featured in the new Disney production “Polar Bear". Florian’s deeply adventurous spirit is evident in everything he does. His award-winning photos and films celebrate the beauty of the frozen continents, their inhabitants and the enormous importance they bear to the entire planet and all living species. Florian aims to educate all generations across the globe about the importance and urgency to protect and sustain our ecosystems. Florian’s work has been published in international forums such as National Geographic Traveler, GEO, BBC, Paris Match, Le Figaro, Time, Disney and more.
- Oskar Strom Head of Logistics- PolarX Oskar has worked as a guide and logistics expert on Svalbard for more than 17 years. He knows the country like the back of his hand and his expertise in bringing filmmakers and photographers to the locations they need is unparalleled. Oskar is passionate about this land and has witnessed enormous change in his time as a guide. His knowledge of Svalbard allows us to bring the most relevant locations to our films and imagery.
Recommended Reading and Links:
- A Trove of Old Photos Could Reveal the Future of These Arctic Glaciers https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/climate/svalbard-glacier-melting.html
- Svalbard Arctic Heritage is threatened by climate change. https://phys.org/news/2022-02-svalbard-arctic-heritage-threatened-climate.html
- The impacts of climate change in Svalbard, Norway http://www.aksik.org/node/3592
- Bearing Witness to Svalbard’s Fragile Splendor https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/travel/svalbard-climate-change-tourism.html
Co-convener:
- Jim Garrison, President, Ubiquity University
76 Participants ---
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