Cities 1.5

Arctic impacts: Knowledge from the north

Apr 30, 2024

The podcast explores the rapid melting of the Greenland ice sheet and its impact on global cities. Guests include a river guide discussing climate change in the Canadian Arctic and a climate policy influencer advocating for Arctic preservation. The episode also covers indigenous leadership, global climate effects, and climate resilience strategies for Arctic cities.

55:29

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Quick takeaways

Arctic warming impacts global sea levels and climate systems, reinforcing the urgent need for sustainable practices in cities worldwide.

Arctic cities lead in climate adaptation with indigenous-led initiatives, showcasing the shift to clean energy technologies and resilience-building models.

Deep dives

The Importance of Arctic Climate Change on Global Ecosystems

The Arctic region, known for its vulnerability to climate change, is experiencing rapid warming, affecting not only local ecosystems but also global climate systems. The melting Arctic ice, such as the Greenland ice sheet, impacts the Atlantic Ocean current, which regulates Europe's climate. Additionally, the Arctic's warming rate is four times higher than other regions, leading to permafrost thaw, ecosystem instability, and vegetation changes. The region's changes also affect global sea levels, animal migrations, and extreme weather events, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the Arctic with the rest of the world.

Introduction

4min

Exploring the Impact of Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic

13min

Exploring Resilience and Arctic Impact Advocacy

3min

Dynamics of the Arctic and Indigenous Leadership

8min

Arctic Impact on Global Climate

6min

Innovations for Climate Resilience in Arctic Cities

17min

Urgent Call to Action for Arctic Sustainability

4min

The Arctic is heating at four times the rate of the rest of the planet, and is a key indicator region for mapping the impacts of the climate crisis. Glacial melt is predicted to contribute to disastrous rates of sea-level rise which will have catastrophic impacts on global cities, coastal communities and the millions of people who live there. It is crucial that we do everything we can in our cities to ensure that the Arctic does have a future…because all of our futures depend on it.

Image Credit: Photo by Roxanne Desgagnés on Unsplash

Featured in this episode: Xuemei Bai, distinguished professor for Urban Environment and Human Ecology at the Australian National University

Featured guests:
Al Pace is one of Canada’s most accomplished Arctic river guides. He co-founded Canoe North Adventures with his wife, Lin, in 1987, and has been taking people into the far north of Canada by canoe and raft ever since. In the off season, Al is the owner of The Farmhouse Pottery where he crafts beautiful stoneware.

Dr Victoria Herrmann is a Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute. In 2022, she was named as one of the top 100 most influential people in climate policy worldwide by the Apolitical Group. She led the America’s Eroding Edges project, and she is currently working on the initiative, Preserving Legacies: A Future for Our Past. Dr Herrmann is a bastion of hope for the work that can and must be done for the Arctic.

Links
Last-minute pledges and sobering science: Where is the World, Post-COP28? Cities 1.5 podcast
Sea of methane sealed beneath Arctic permafrost could trigger climate feedback loop if it escapes

If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/

Cities 1.5 is produced by the University of Toronto Press and Cities 1.5 is supported by C40 Cities and the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy. You can sign up to the Centre newsletter here. https://thecentre.substack.com/

Our executive producers are Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield.

Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/

Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/

Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/