Three decades of Arctic observations

The first Arctic Bulletin, The Circle’s predecessor, was published 28 years ago. The issues covered may have changed over time, but the goal has remained the same: to protect the Arctic.

Issue No. 1.1994

Because of its severe climate the Arctic, up until now, has been protected from many of the human threats which have affected other bioregions. For this reason WWF has concentrated much of its efforts on other parts of the world. [But] apart from the increasing fear that the climate itself may change, there are good reasons for WWF to bundle the existing Arctic projects of its different national organisations into a pan-Arctic framework….

– Peter Prokosch, director, WWF Arctic Programme (from his editorial in the first issue of The Circle)

 

Issue No. 3.1996

The support of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for the concept of an Arctic Council is most welcome….The creation of an umbrella forum of the eight Arctic countries will provide the means to address the wide range of Arctic issues; to strengthen existing circumpolar initiatives; and to bring political focus to addressing the urgent issues affecting
the circumpolar North.

—Ronald A. Irwin, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Canada

 

Issue No. 2.2007

An international team of scientists believes that catastrophic forest fire outbreaks in Siberia are happening more frequently because of climate change. In the extreme fire year of 2003, smoke plumes from Central Siberia were so huge that they caused air pollution in the United States.

—Brief based on Journal of Climate, August 2007

Issue No. 2.2011

The pressure from the rest of the world, not least China, in having a role in the Arctic will only increase and the Arctic States must look at ways of accommodating not only interested nation states from the Far East but also NGOs and indigenous peoples.

—Diana Wallis, vice-president, European Parliament with responsibility for Arctic and High North issues

Issue No. 2.2018

Since many changes in the Arctic have their origins outside the region, it is important for Arctic countries and peoples to take ‘Arctic messages’ to global forums. Sustainable development in the Arctic is going to be very difficult if the rest of the world does not understand how its actions affect the region, and cannot or will not acknowledge its responsibility.

— Timo Koivurova, director, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland

Issue No. 2.2019

We were surprised to find that plastic debris was plentiful in the Greenland and Barents seas to the east of Greenland and north of Scandinavia. Our study concluded that most of the plastic found in this part of the Arctic was coming from faraway sources.

— Andrés Cózar Cabañas, University of Cádiz, Spain