By Randy Points, Shadrack Odonkor, Lindsay Bigham, Daina Phillips. THE THAWING ARCTIC

ARCTIC ECOSYSTEM ● The Arctic is a polar region at the northernmost part of the Earth. ● Its climate is characterized by cold winters and cool summers. ● For thousands of years there has been a lot of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. ● However today those conditions are beginning to change rapidly due to global warming.

WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING? ● A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. Generally attributed to the greenhouse effect. Caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons and other pollutants.

HOW IS THE ARCTIC AFFECTED? ● Average temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast as they are elsewhere in the world and as a result the Arctic ice is getting thinner,melting and rupturing. ● The rapid loss of sea ice in the arctic ecosystem leaves less time for adaptation for fish, wildlife, and humans to the upcoming conditions they will soon face. ● videos videos

WHAT ARE THE SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF A WARMING ARCTIC? ● The Arctic's potential economic bounty has prompted the littoral states to update security strategies for the region. A handful of territorial disputes remain, but all governments have stressed that disagreements can and should be settled peacefully.

STAKEHOLDERS ● There are stakeholders on both sides of the issue. The ones that are for global warming argue that global warming brings about good trade routes in the arctic and that global warming is a natural occurrence and is not affected by human activity. ● However the stakeholders that are against global warming argue that global warming is caused by human activity which includes carbon emissions and other types of pollution. They also argue that melting ice caps in the arctic is causing harm to the indigenous peoples that live in that region.

WHAT ARE THE INDIGENOUS SOCIETIES OF THE ARCTIC? ●Examples of arctic communities are the Saami in Finland, and Nenets, Khanty and Evenk in Northwest Russia, the Aleut, Yupik and Inuit in Alaska, Inuit in Canada and lastly Inuit in Greenland. 3aQ

HOW ARE THEY AFFECTED BY GLOBAL WARMING? ● They rely on the polar bear population for survival and for their traditional way of life. ● The damage that global warming is doing to the polar bears’ populations, which is declining, is therefore damaging the Inuit people.

CALL TO ACTION!!! We must let the public know about what the rise in carbon dioxide levels and how it is effecting the climate. Furthermore we need to find a way to help the Indigenous people that are affected by global warming. This may include relocation or supplying of resources that are becoming more scarce because of the global warming.

Annotated Bibliography This website is about the effects of global warming on the arctic. It also specifies what global warming is. This website explains in detail the ecosystem of the arctic and how it is being affected by global warming. It talks about how the rapid loss of sea ice is causing fish, wildlife, and humans having to adapt to the new conditions. over-sea-routes-for-arctic-debate.html This website explains one of the reasons why some stakeholders involved in the ice caps melting. It talks about trade routes opening up between eastern Asia and western Europe.

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