Future Arctic

December 15, 2014
The Arctic is changing dramatically, and as Struzik (The Big Thaw) shows, it’s changing faster than most scientists predicted. As temperatures rise and sea ice and permafrost melt, megastorms and drastic fluctuations in the populations of many animals and plants have become the new normal, putting entire ecosystems in a state of flux. These changes are also wreaking havoc with the traditional lifestyles of indigenous Arctic peoples. Paradoxically, as Struzik demonstrates, warming is bringing in a huge amount of development capital by those hoping to make use of the ice-free Northwest Passage to extract oil, natural gas, and minerals. However, he argues that environmental controls on this development are woefully lax and development is creating as many (or more) ecological problems as climate change. He makes it clear that these changes are critical for the entire world and calls for more scientific study, reminding readers that if these Arctic problems aren’t properly addressed, “we, in the south, will continue to be surprised and punished by events that originate in the future Arctic.” Struzik blends biology and politics with firsthand experience to present a comprehensive, though repetitive, portrait of the future.