Climate Change at the Arctic's Edge: Earthwatch Volunteers Brave the Canadian Winter Chill

Arctic sunset Anyone paying even mild attention to the effects of climate change, especially those in the northern latitudes like Alaska and Canada, are well aware of the accelerated warming in the Arctic.

From unprecedented sea ice melt last year, to endangered polar bear habitat, to shifting land damaging housing and infrastructure due to melting permafrost, the north is very much the “canary in the coal mine” in regard to our changing climate. Things are happening fast, and, as I’ve said before here and elsewhere, the global warming skeptics and deniers do have one thing right, at least partially: the climate models are wrong.

Problem is, they aren’t wrong in the “right” way. Meaning that, at least in terms of visible and measurable changes in the north (and now, it appears, in Antarctica as well), the effects of climate change are happening much faster than most models have predicted.

Permafrost acts as a vast storehouse of carbon and methane. Of concern to many climate scientists is what happens when the permafrost melts, releasing its stored carbon into the atmosphere. This likely will set in motion a positive feedback loop of warming air temperatures, accelerated permafrost melt, more carbon released, and around in a circle we go.

There are currently many scientific research projects attempting to assess both the current state and projected rate of degradation of permafrost in northern latitudes. Once such project is headed up by Peter Kershaw, a Ph.D. and associate professor at the University of Alberta. Dr. Kershaw has led an ongoing study of permafrost and peatland condition along the Arctic transition zone from treeline to tundra in Northern Canada. His principal areas of study are based out of the Northern Studies Centre east of Churchill Manitoba, and in the MacKenzie Mountains of the Northwest Territories.

Much of the work in data collection and sampling is aided through groups of volunteers organized through the Earthwatch Institute.

Starting next week, I will be one of those volunteers as I make my way to Churchill, Manitoba to join the winter team. I and my teamates will assist Dr. Kershaw and his assoicates collect data on snowpack and other conditions of the Canadian winter in the high north – BRRR…

I hope to contribute something to the the scientific community’s understanding of climate change, even if it’s just a pair of hands and feet to go out into snow and collect data. I also hope to take something away as well: my own increased awareness of what is happening up there in the Great North, and thus, what is happening ot the entire world in an age of rapid climage change.

One thing is for sure; it’ll be quite an adventure!

Upon my return in March, I will post to Hugg my experinces and what I learned.

Sources and Further Reading
The Center for International Environmental Law
Edmonton Journal
EarthWatch