The administration of United States President Donald Trump has not been coy about its interest in Greenland — not only for its strategic value, but for its plethora of oil and minerals.
During the congressional hearing on the world's largest island, however, no one seemed concerned about the rapidly melting ice and whether it could prove to be a huge oversight.
What's happening?
Greenland has been losing ice mass at an increasingly accelerated rate since 2002, according to NASA.
Geoscientist Paul Bierman pointed out, in an article published by The Conversation, that the climate change-induced phenomenon has created landslide-prone terrain that would make any sort of extraction dangerous.
Per Nature.com, the speed at which the Arctic climate is warming is four times faster than the rest of the world, which only exacerbates the degree of risk, both economic and personal, to pull resources.
Bierman, who studies the environmental history of Greenland, emphasized how unpredictable the land is, often called the "land of extremes." The harsh climate and massive ice sheet create natural hazards that have grown exponentially worse as the planet continues to get warmer each year.
Bierman wrote, "As the climate warms, permafrost — frozen rock and soil — which underlies the island, thaws. This destabilizes the landscape, weakening steep slopes and damaging critical infrastructure."
Rockslides are capable of triggering catastrophic tsunamis, some of which have taken out nearby villages. With the constant threat of landslides, the conditions are uncertain at best, deadly at worst.
Because of the land's instability, the infrastructure for what the United States has in mind simply doesn't exist. In fact, the article stated, "Greenland's government banned drilling for fossil fuels in 2021 out of concern for the environment."
There are no routes connecting the coastal communities. Exporting minerals and oil would have to be done by sea, which would leave equipment and operations vulnerable to the elements, including icebergs, which are more prevalent with the warmer temperatures. The monumental risk and cost must be taken into consideration with the future in mind.
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Wildfires 😷 Why is Greenland's melting ice sheet concerning?
What's happening in Greenland isn't just devastating locally — it's bad news for all of us. When ice melts into the ocean, sea levels rise. This causes coastal erosion, threatens fresh water, and impacts ecosystems globally. If all of Greenland were to melt, it would raise the global sea level by around 23 feet, as the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported.
Furthermore, the melting ice is being replaced by vegetation growth, creating a wetland of methane production. Methane has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere, per the Environmental Defense Fund. This is a direct cause of human-induced changes to the climate, which propel extreme weather events.
What's being done about the rapidly melting ice in Greenland?
Scientists and researchers are keeping a keen eye on Greenland, but to prevent a total meltdown, global temperatures need to go down, which will require a massive reduction of planet-warming pollution. That means less production and use of dirty energy and more focus on clean energy sources, like solar, wind, and hydro.
Individually, it's important to educate yourself on critical climate issues. Being a part of the solution starts with understanding the problem. Use less plastic, walk when you can, use your car as efficiently as possible, and support circular brands to reduce your carbon impact.
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