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The Changing Arctic.
9 February 2017
Prof. Julienne Stroeve participated in two international Arctic events during January, ArcticBaseCamp, a side meeting held in Davos, Switzerland during the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Annual Arctic Frontiers meeting in Tromso, Norway. Both meetings brought together scientists, policy makers and industry to discuss the changing Arctic. At ArcticBaseCamp in Davos, a team of Arctic scientists presented state-of-the-art Arctic research to the world’s most powerful leaders. Prof. Julienne Stroeve from UCL delivered a keynote on the fate of Arctic sea ice. This talk was followed by presentations from former US vice president Al Gore and Christiana Figueres, the former Executive Secretary the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The event was well attended by media and foreign leaders and plans are being made to include the event at next years WEF.
In Tromso at the Arctic Frontiers, Prof. Julienne Stroeve participated in a panel with foreign affairs ministers from countries such as Hungary, Singapore and Norway. While the focus of the panel was cooperation for a sustainable future in the Arctic, Prof. Julienne Stroeve provided much needed science information about the state of the Arctic Ocean and its links with CO2 emissions, cautioning that all sea ice will disappear during summer in the next 30 years if CO2 emissions are not curtailed. While opportunities now exist for resource extraction and increased shipping as a result of sea ice loss, there are many negative impacts of this ice loss on ecosystems and coastal communities in the Arctic, as well as changes in extreme weather events around the globe.
Follow Julienne on Twitter @JulienneStroeve