Environment

In 2025, the GNWT’s forest health survey recorded almost 5,900 km² of insect‑induced defoliation—primarily from spruce budworms and leafminers—and more than 1,200 km² of drought‑driven tree mortality, illustrating how climate stressors are reshaping northern boreal forests.

A federal plan to start Mackenzie Valley Highway construction next year faces regulatory and funding delays, as the Major Projects Office seeks environmental assessment clearance while Indigenous groups push for inclusive planning.

A new 27‑year analysis of landfast sea ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas finds that the seasonal window is shrinking—by roughly 20 days per decade in the Chukchi and 13 in the Beaufort—while overall coverage on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf has fallen from 3.8 % to 2 %. The decline threatens transportation, wildlife habitats, shoreline protection and offshore oil‑gas operations that rely on stable ice.

The retreat of Arctic ice opens the Northern Sea Route, giving Russia a potential new shipping and oil corridor along its vast Arctic coastline.

Scientists warn that projected 2100 climate changes in the Canadian High Arctic and Hudson Bay could outpace the evolutionary capacity of beluga, narwhal and bowhead whales, risking genetic mismatch and highlighting the need to protect their adaptive diversity.

Arctic fish stocks are facing growing pressure from overfishing, marine pollution, and rising ocean temperatures.

India’s Arctic strategy is hampered by insufficient funding, limited research capacity, and weak diplomatic outreach, prompting experts to call for a clearer national narrative on the region’s climate impact and strategic value.

China’s research vessel Xuelong 2 has set off for an ice‑station survey in the central Arctic Ocean as part of its 16th Arctic expedition, underscoring continued scientific exploration by Beijing in the high north.

The 6th Turkish Arctic Scientific Expedition finished its mission off Svalbard at 82° N, with 12 Turkish scientists and 3 international researchers carrying out 12 studies on glacier melt, marine ecosystems and technology testing—data that will refine climate models and improve navigation accuracy in the region.

A new map displays the Arctic's sea ice deposits at their annual maximum for February 2025, juxtaposed with the previous year’s extent in February 2024, offering a clear visual comparison of yearly changes.

Warming temperatures are increasing vulnerabilities for Canada’s defense, and the article argues that indigenous communities in the Arctic are uniquely positioned to lead environmental monitoring that could help fill NATO’s intelligence gaps.

Scientists sampled large nitric‑oxide–containing particles in the Arctic vortex for 48 days, covering latitudes 60°N to 85°N and altitudes 15–21 km, offering new insights into stratospheric chemistry.

Mid‑summer temperatures across the Arctic ice pack hover near freezing as incoming heat drives continuous melt of snow and ice.

An AI model has estimated the total volume of world glaciers using satellite data from places like Svalbard and Severnaya Zemlya, offering sharper inputs for sea‑level rise projections.

India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research has teamed with Nordic institutions to conduct research on Arctic glacier changes and related ocean dynamics.

The study reports airborne measurements of angular spectral reflectance from Arctic sea ice and tundra, providing new data on surface‑atmosphere interaction in the high north.

A systematic review of North American Arctic char parasites establishes baseline biodiversity crucial for monitoring ecological changes driven by rapid Arctic warming.

Scientists detected zinc, lead, and cadmium nanoparticles in both Canadian urban and Arctic snow, attributing them mainly to traffic emissions.

Arctic warming has doubled methane releases from Siberia over ten years, amplifying the greenhouse‑gas feedback that could derail global climate targets.

Scientists used AMSR‑2 passive microwave data to produce continuous maps of snow density across the Arctic, filling a gap in observations that is critical for modeling climate impacts on ecosystems and surface energy budgets.

Birachleaf rollers are rolling leaves into tight cigar‑shaped bundles on birch trees across Southcentral Alaska, eating the leaf flesh and leaving skeletons that can stunt tree growth. Natural predators such as tachinid flies and ichneumonid wasps usually bring populations back into balance, while targeted biocontrol sprays like Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki are available but broad pesticides risk harming beneficial insects.