Science

The first discovery of cetacean morbillivirus in Arctic whales raises concerns about emerging disease risks for marine mammals in a changing environment.

Finland’s new Arctic Ambassador stresses the region’s cultural and environmental importance, calls for restored scientific ties with Russia, and urges stronger security collaboration with NATO allies.

Sled dogs, or qimmit, continue to be essential for hunting, travel, and daily survival in Greenland, while climate change, disease, rising costs, and regulation threaten their use.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ ERDC conducted a test that proved a CH‑47 Chinook can safely land on 21 inches of ice, potentially expanding Arctic helicopter operations by up to 25%.

Researchers at Canada’s Churchill Marine Observatory tested diesel‑spiked seawater and oil‑eating microbes to find faster Arctic oil‑spill cleanup amid rising shadow‑fleet shipping.

Canadian politicians are revisiting a northern pipeline to connect Alberta oilfields with Port of Churchill, weighing historic Arctic construction lessons against permafrost challenges and climate‑change risks.

Permafrost thaw on Herschel Island‑Qikiqtaruk is causing large slumps that release carbon, alter vegetation and shift Inuvialuit hunting, illustrating rapid Arctic change.

New drilling evidence shows Greenland’s Prudhoe Dome ice cap melted around 7,000 years ago, implying the ice sheet is highly sensitive to modest warming and could face similar losses as temperatures rise toward 3–5 °C above today’s levels.

Massive seabird die‑offs in winter storms highlight how climate‑driven weather, sea‑ice loss and food‑web shifts threaten Arctic seabird populations, ecosystems and indigenous harvests, urging coordinated flyway conservation.

Finland and Canada, during President Stubb’s Ottawa visit, signed a maritime MoU and agreed to joint research and defence initiatives to strengthen Arctic security amid growing Russian tensions.

A scale model of Germany’s upcoming Polarstern research icebreaker successfully completed ice‑tank tests, marking a major milestone ahead of construction slated to begin in spring 2027.

The United Arab Emirates has become the 49th signatory to the Svalbard Treaty, gaining direct access to Arctic research stations such as Ny-Ålesund and strengthening its role in polar science.

Arctic rivers on Alaska’s North Slope are now carrying more runoff and ancient carbon into the Beaufort Sea, a trend driven by longer permafrost thaw seasons and projected to intensify greenhouse‑gas release and ecosystem changes.

Sveagruva, a former Swedish mining site in eastern Svalbard, has been reopened as a research base by UNIS, giving scientists new access to study surging glaciers, geology and stable sea ice, and enabling on‑site sample analysis.

Massive winter seabird die‑offs along Western Europe’s Atlantic coast signal rising climate‑driven storm impacts, threatening Arctic ecosystems and necessitating coordinated flyway conservation.

Alaska's northern coast has seen a 57‑day drop in landfast ice season in the Chukchi Sea and a 39‑day drop in the Beaufort Sea since 1996, threatening hunting, travel and oil‑gas ice roads.

The Pribilof Islands witnessed the first confirmed marine mammal deaths from saxitoxin, with rising ocean temperatures spreading the toxin northward and jeopardizing the food security of local Unangax communities.

Canada is debating expanding the Port of Churchill to create a northern trade corridor, weighing economic opportunities against environmental risks and Indigenous concerns.

A 27‑year study shows the landfast sea‑ice season along Alaska’s Chukchi and Beaufort coasts has shrunk by up to 57 days, threatening hunting routes, oil‑gas ice roads and shoreline protection.

The ARCRISK project in the Mackenzie River Basin combines scientific modeling and Indigenous knowledge to develop actionable mercury risk‑reduction plans, supporting food security and ecosystem health in Arctic communities.

The Cape Town Agreement, set to enter force in February 2027, will impose safety and environmental standards on fishing vessels, lowering rescue incidents and plastic waste in the Arctic.

The Polar Collaborative Research Action (CRA), originally proposed as Arctic 3, has been approved for scoping and broadened to include Antarctica, with a planned launch in 2027. Led by Norway’s Research Council and Canada’s NSERC, the CRA will integrate Indigenous knowledge, address climate‑change impacts on ecosystems and communities, and support the Fifth International Polar Year and the UN Ocean Decade.

Kenneth Høegh, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, outlines the Arctic Council’s resilience, its 30th anniversary achievements, and upcoming science and connectivity events amid evolving geopolitics.

The Arctic Council celebrated its 30th anniversary in Tromsø, underscoring its enduring role in fostering Indigenous participation, scientific cooperation, and policy guidance for Arctic resilience.

Arctic Council’s new podcast episode discusses the salmon crisis on the Deatnu River, exploring how declining stocks affect food security, cultural identity, and governance for Indigenous communities.