Arctic Temperature Alarm

Air temperature in the Arctic was -19.25°C on 2023-03-23. This is 0.15°C higher than 90th percentile of climatology period... READ MORE

Arctic Temperature Alarm

Air temperature in the Arctic was -19.28°C on 2023-03-22. This is 0.27°C higher than 90th percentile of climatology period... READ MORE

It’s now or never – IPCC 6th Assessment Report released today

Today the final synthesis of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 6th Assessment Report cycle was released. This synthesis report restates that it is "now or never" to act, and that we are well on... READ MORE

Arctic sea ice maximum extent likely 5th lowest on record

Arctic sea ice has likely reached its maximum extent for the year, at 14.62 million square kilometres (5.64 million square miles) on March 6, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at... READ MORE

Record-breaking cyclone brings further decimation to world’s #1 climate vulnerable country

Tropical cyclone Freddy is set to make more international records--including possibly one for the longest-lasting storm, later this... READ MORE

COUNTDOWN

CO2 Budget Depletion

13 Feb 2023 | New Zealand

Cyclone Gabrielle making landfall in New Zealand

Although Cyclone Gabrielle is just making landfall in New Zealand’s North Island, one-third of the country’s population is already under a state of emergency by this once-in-a-century storm. The impacts of this storm will peak tonight aligning with the midnight high tide.

In January, this region was hit by what is considered the ‘biggest climate event’ in New Zealand’s history, as per the Guardian. New Zealand’s new Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, has warned that ‘Extreme weather event has come on the back of extreme weather event,’ magnifying the impacts.

In addition to the high tide, New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research warns that this storm will be a ‘record’ storm surge of 0.7m on top of waves reaching 12m. ‘Red’ warnings from MetService have also hit a record with winds topping 150-160km.

But New Zealand, a polar country? Not geographically, but is it becoming so environmentally? A southern hemisphere country, New Zealand is far from the Arctic–but the presence of the northern pole is still felt in the land of the Silver Fern. Warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, the Arctic is a driving force for warming globally. The current New Zealand summer has brought unusually warm waters, which fuel more powerful cyclones. Part of this warming also stems from La Niña, the increasing effects of which are a concern with Antarctic heating.

So what? Although several factors are in play, what is important to note is that the stability (and instability!) of the polar regions affects the entire planet. A warming Arctic is a warning to all. These storms are going to become norms rather than records as polar impacts heighten global risk unless emissions drop radically and immediately.

Photo by Brett Phibbs for the NZ Herald

LATEST NEWS & ALERTS

ARCTIC RISK INDICATORS

The following gauges show up-to-date data regarding key indicators in the Arctic. These indicators clearly point to the crisis at hand.

Greenland rate of ice loss
4.5 hundred thousands l/s
on average in 1986-2015
4.5 tons per second
on average in 1986-2015
Worldwide number of disasters
265 disasters
more events in 2022 in comparison to 1970s
183 disasters
more events in 2022 in comparison to 1980s
100 disasters
more events in 2022 in comparison to 1990s
Arctic Sea Ice Extent
1,060,750 km²
below 1981-2010 average on 26-Mar-2023
409,555 mi²
below 1981-2010 average on 26-Mar-2023
Arctic Amplification
2.81 times
faster than global average in last 30 years
2.59 times
faster than global average in last 50 years
2.49 times
faster than global average in last 70 years
Arctic Wildfire emissions
0.19 megatonnes CO₂e
CO₂e emissions in 2023 so far
Arctic Air Quality (PM2.5)
2.72 microgram per cubic meter
on 21-Mar-2023