Polar Regions News Roundup W/C 11th March 2024

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Polar Regions News

Your weekly Polar news roundup

Helping you stay informed of the latest developments in climate change, environmental conservation, scientific research, geopolitical dynamics, economic opportunities and indigenous rights in the Polar Regions.

11th March 2024

Radical idea to protect 'doomsday' Thwaites Glacier with 62-mile long curtain divides scientists

An ice cliff on Thwaites Glacier. Pic: Rob Larter/BAS

The drastic idea has been praised by some scientists as "highly aspirational", while others have branded it "dangerous, illusionary and distracting".

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How Sweden’s Entry Into NATO Reshapes Baltic and Arctic Security

Aurora borealis over Arctic landscape

NATO has had to wait nearly 18 months for Turkey and Hungary to finally sign off on letting Sweden join the military alliance. Despite the long wait, there is a good deal of excitement in Brussels about the 32nd member.

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Antarctic runway upgraded to support UK polar science hub

@Images courtesy of British Antarctic Survey

As part of the British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP), the runway at Rothera research station has been successfully resurfaced by construction company BAM, and Ramboll completed the design.

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Ice-free summers in Arctic possible within next decade, scientists say

The first ice-free day in the Arctic could occur more than 10 years earlier than previous projections, the study finds. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Arctic could have summer days with practically no sea ice within the next decade due to emissions from burning fossil fuels, a study has found. This would transform the unique habitat, home to polar bears, seals and walruses, from a “white Arctic” to a “blue Arctic” during the summer months, scientists said.

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The lows and lows of Antarctic sea ice

The regular cycle of freezing and thawing of Antarctic sea ice, keeps our planet functioning, regulating global climate and sea-level rise. Credit: Wendy Pyper

Data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) have revealed another summer of exceptionally low sea-ice extent around Antarctica.

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Have you read our latest Polar Notes article? See below for the most recent publication on the APPG Polar Regions website.

Polar Note: A New, Nauseating Climate Archive

Snow petrel

Welcome to the 2024 Polar Notes series: our fortnightly feature looking at a current polar issue or topic of conversation in more depth.  

Our newest article, authored by guest expert, Claire Penny (PhD Candidate in Organic Geochemistry, Durham University), explores a novel technique for reconstructing historic variations in Antarctic sea ice using dietary biomarkers from snow petrel stomach oil deposits.

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