Global POP, Longyearbyen: Environmental Technology under cold-Arctic conditions Development and challenges with focus on climate change scenarios Roland Kallenborn The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Technology Technology is the technical means people use to improve their surroundings. It is also a knowledge of using tools and machines to do tasks efficiently. We use technology to control the world in which we live. Technology is people using knowledge, tools, and systems to make their lives easier and better.

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Climate change? Climate change? ACIA`s estimate of global warming in this century

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Environmental scenario  Climate change scenarios are described altering Arctic environmental condition  Changes in sea ice coverage, glaciers and erosion expected.  Increase of melt water during spring melt events.  Consequences for accessibility and exploitation of natural resources?  Human activities (off-shore installation, new settlements, mining etc.)  Transport routes of goods, petroleum, gas etc. across the Arctic ocean and on-land  Social structures, housing and infrastructures.  How to meet the future?

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Rockfalls, rockslides and snow avalanches are the most common natural hazard threatening the transport routes on land Registration of slides, avalanches and floods on highways and main roads

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Frequent wind and storm events Increasing problems with regularity on high mountain roads/ railways, and some wind- exposed coastal roads Restriction on sea transport Difficult access to wind exposed harbors Reduced regularity in air transport

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Frost heave and thawing (melt water flooding) make roads and railways vulnerable to temperature fluctuations around 0  C

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Development of communications and pipelines in permafrost areas

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Ships traffic in the Arctic Ocean Attractive shipping routes through the North East/ North West passage Increased chances for accidents! Environmental pollution: Prevention/ remediation procedures needed

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Dudinka – Murmansk – nickel carriage ~1.2 mln. t/year - options of North-Eastern Sea Root Natural resourses: - gas, - oil - poly-metals and manganites - timbers, - rare earth metals and apatites 1 Земля Франца-Иосифа Development of hydrocarbon deposits and mineral resourses

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Oil pollution issuesRemediation Development of technologies for prevention and remediation of oil pollution in Arctic waters is urgently needed Safety requirements

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Infrastructures and installations Landscape erosion Damages on buildings Permasfrost regime will change Implication on Waste water treatment, sanitation, Implication on Waste water treatment, sanitation, housing, foundations of infrastructures, mining, pipelines, water and power supply etc. Consequences: Occurence and spreading of diseases, reduced living quality

Global POP, Longyearbyen: ~20 m ~120 m Arctic offshore constructions and ice loads

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Climate change in Norwegian Arctic (RegClim 2002) Temperature increases 0.2  C – 0.5  C pr. decade. Precipitation increases 5 % - 35 % this century Increasing storm frequency and magnitude More rain at lower and snow at higher altitudes/ latitudes (increased variability). Increasing sea level and higher waves and storm floods

Global POP, Longyearbyen: How to meet the future Better understanding of climate change on local bases Systematic registration of events and consequences Improve design of protection measures for all types of human activities New design of ditches and culverts More extensive erosion protection Reconstruction or improved maintenance of available infrastructures including roads and harbors Evaluate functionality of exposed infrastructures like housing, mining installations, off-shore facilities, pipelines, airports and harbors New guidelines and technologies for industrial facilities, settlements, road-, railway- airport- and harbor-constructions are needed

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Aknowledgement  Lars Grande (NTNU Trondheim) has helped shaping the presentation.  All scientific members of the UNIS Arctic Technology department have contributed with open-minded discussion and comments to the here presented ideas.  ICPP, ACIA and AMAP have contributed with figures, pictures and expertise

Global POP, Longyearbyen: Thank you for your attention!