Polar Points of View
POLAR
INSIGHTS.
World Economic Forum AGENDA CONTRIBUTIONS
Why addressing the climate crisis at our poles is key to achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Sep 20, 2023.
- Climate change at the poles is putting progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at risk.
- The polar regions are warming faster than anywhere else and could trigger global climate tipping points.
- We need rapid emissions cuts to slow polar climate change and get on track for the UN global goals.
CLICK TO LEARN HOW THE SUCCESS OF THE SDGS DEPENDS ON THE ARCTIC
How metaverse technology is catalysing action on polar ice tipping points
Sep 18, 2023.
- In June 2023, scientists announced that Arctic summer sea ice might be unavoidably lost in future decades – even in low emissions scenarios – due to global warming.
- To visualize the dynamic interconnected global risks of rapid polar changes, the Global Collaboration Village has introduced a new immersive environment: The Polar Tipping Points Hub.
- Through next-generation technology, the hub transports decision-makers to this hard-to-reach environment to catalyse collective action on an issue that affects all humans on the planet today.
Polar regions are our insurance policy against runaway climate change. Here’s why…
- The North and South Poles help regulate the world’s climate and weather.
- But they are in crisis, warming faster than the rest of the world.
- We must cut emissions now to prevent risks to society and business.
More WEF Agenda contributions:
- Making sense of frontier risks and identifying early warning signs
- The shrinking Arctic ice protects us all. It’s time to act
- We set up an Arctic basecamp at Davos. Here are five reasons why
- Forget the FTSE 500 : the Arctic is the real barometer of global risk
- Something strange is happening with the Arctic sea ice.Here’s what’s going on, and why it matters
- Greenland’s ice sheets are disappearing faster than predicted – here’s why you should care
- The Arctic just had the warmest winter on record. The repercussions will be global
- 5 reasons to care about Arctic ice melt
- 3 industries that will be hit by Arctic change
- 6 charts to help you become an Arctic expert
- 3 ways you can save the Arctic
Arctic Circle Assembly - Ambassadorial Briefing
Governments, both within and outside the Arctic region, need to incorporate Arctic change into all policies and strategies relating to the global climate crisis, including global and local risks.
The Polar regions, particularly the Arctic, will determine the fate of humanity. What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay there but ramps up societal and economic risks globally through inter alia extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, conflicts over resources, food and water insecurities, economic stresses, wildfires, and disease.
Read our ACA 2023—Ambassadorial Briefing presented at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2023 in Reykjavík, Iceland.
ARCTIC BASECAMP INSIGHT BLOGS
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Uganda (Arctic Basecamp)
Uganda is significantly at risk from the impacts of climate change. Across multiple industries and in many connected social elements, knock-on effects from extreme weather, such as floods and extended droughts, are devastating the lives, livelihoods and future prospects of its people. Climate change is driven by many factors, including Arctic melting, which contributes to global change and can have devastating repercussions for Uganda.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Senegal (Arctic Basecamp)
The impacts of climate change on a climate-vulnerable country like Senegal can be profoundly devastating across various sectors. Agriculture and the service industry are leading sectors in the country. These industries are exceptionally sensitive to climate-related impacts, given their vulnerability to extreme weather conditions and climate shocks linked to Arctic melting.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Kenya (Arctic Basecamp)
The COVID-19 pandemic, a series of droughts, locust plagues and floods have hindered Kenya’s capacity for SDG progress. Whilst the devastating impacts of these environmental shocks are clear in their cost to human lives, social welfare, infrastructure and the country’s socioeconomic health, what is less clear is the implicit link between these disasters and warming in the Arctic.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in the Philippines (Arctic Basecamp)
Climate change is taking a heavy toll on the lives and sources of income of people in the Philippines, with the poorest communities most affected. The 2022 World Risk Index classified the Philippines as the world’s most disaster-prone country. Although geographically distant from the Arctic, the ripple effects of its warming are keenly felt across this island nation.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Pakistan (Arctic Basecamp)
The domino effects of Arctic warming, though remote, have profound consequences for Pakistan. As the Arctic climate shifts, countries like Pakistan face intensifying vulnerability to disaster risk. Ranked 18 out of 191 countries, Pakistan faces some of the highest disaster risk levels in the world.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Bangladesh (Arctic Basecamp)
Densely populated, low-lying Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to disasters and climate change. Every year, an estimated 3.5 million people in Bangladesh are at risk of river flooding due to rising sea levels and increasingly intense monsoons.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in India (Arctic Basecamp)
India is highly susceptible to climate adversities in part because of its large population, complex and numerous ecoregions, and fast-growing economy. The Global Climate Risk Index (CRI) classifies India amongst the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate events. India must focus on mitigating and adapting to climate threats while ensuring to increase progress across its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Ethiopia (Damilola Adeyanju, Arctic Basecamp)
Ethiopia aspires to a promising future, but a complex web of factors, including the impact of Arctic warming on Ethiopia’s climate, poses a multifaceted challenge to the nation’s sustainable growth and development.
Read the full blog HERE.
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SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (Arctic Basecamp)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. As the 2023 Sustainable Development Report outlines, the DRC has achieved only 48.60% of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning it at 159th out of 166 countries on the SDG Index. This ranking underscores the significant challenges facing the DRC in meeting its SDG commitments.
Read the full blog HERE.
SDGs On Thin Ice: Arctic Warming and Climate Crisis in Nigeria (Damilola Adeyanju, Arctic Basecamp)
Nigeria’s sustainable growth and development is marked by the complex interplay between polar warming and local challenges. As one of the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate risks, Nigeria grapples with the dual challenge of addressing these risks and reviving stalled progress across 11 of its stagnating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2023 Sustainable Development Report shows that Nigeria currently scores 54.27 percent and ranks 146 out of 166 countries tracked by the SDG Index. This indicates that Nigeria still has a long way to go to achieve its SDG targets.
Read the full blog HERE.
RISK BRIEFING SUMMARY 2022
- THE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE ARCTIC PROVIDE AN EARLY WARNING OF THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY. The latest analysis paints a picture of rapidly unfolding environmental breakdown as a direct result of increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. In turn, this breakdown fuels further global warming.
- THE ARCTIC IS IN CRISIS AS ITS ICE DISAPPEARS. Sea ice continues to shrink in area and thickness, the Greenland ice sheet continues to melt and accelerate sea-level rise, and the permafrost continues to thaw, threatening communities, ecosystems and carbon feedbacks.
- THE ARCTIC BREAKDOWN HAS DIRECT IMPLICATIONS FOR INSTABILITY ACROSS THE REST OF THE WORLD. Sea levels rise as glaciers and ice sheets melt. Arctic warming favors increased extreme weather elsewhere - heatwaves, droughts, storms, and even cold spells.
- ARCTIC BREAKDOWN ELEVATES RISK FAR BEYOND ITS BORDERS. This adds urgency to implementing near-term mitigation to prevent global temperature rises beyond 1.5°C and reduce the magnitude of rapid Arctic change. The COP26 UNFCCC meeting represents a critical moment for high-level recognition of these risks as well as the plans to mitigate them.