Photo : Minetta Westerlund/Arctic Council Secretariat
Photo : Minetta Westerlund/Arctic Council Secretariat
By Padmashree Anandhan
GOVERNANCE
Denmark takes over Arctic Council Chair amid geopolitical tensions
On 12 May, The Guardian reported on Denmark assuming the Arctic Council chairmanship from Norway at heightened geopolitical tension. This is especially after US President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. In this background, Denmark, in a symbolic move, appointed Greenland’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, as chair for Greenland’s aspirations for independence, and also in an attempt to reset ties with Greenland. The Council, so far kept away from security matters, focusing more on environmental cooperation and indigenous rights. Following the war in Ukraine, it has faced immense pressure, resulting in the suspension of direct cooperation with Russia. Despite these challenges, Norway was successful in keeping the Council intact, focusing on diplomacy. Apart from Trump’s ambitions and China’s growing Arctic involvement is also expected to challenge the Council’s unity. Motzfeldt affirmed Greenland’s desire for both independence and strong US ties. At the same time, the inclusion of the Indigenous community and maintaining Arctic stability are on the agenda. (“Denmark takes over as Arctic Council chair at a time when Trump eyes its territory, Greenland,” Halifax city news, 12 May 2025; Miranda Bryant, “Norway hands over Arctic Council intact after ‘difficult’ term as chair,” The Guardian, 12 May 2025)
GEOPOLITICS
China and Russia to expand Arctic collaboration with new shipping and logistics hubs
On 13 May, Marine Insight reported on China and Russia’s plan to deepen ties in the Arctic by building new shipping and logistics hubs along the Northern Sea Route (NSR). This comes after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in Moscow. With Arctic trade between the two on the increase, with 95 per cent NSR cargo, Putin stressed that the route was gaining importance, with nuclear icebreakers, expanded border infrastructure, and energy exports, particularly LNG. However, Western sanctions have slowed deliveries from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, as Chinese firms remain cautious of violating US restrictions. Despite such barriers, both have active collaboration in LNG ventures. The partnership, under the direct sight of Putin, also showcases ambition to strengthen Eurasian transport routes. (“China & Russia Plan To Strengthen New Arctic Shipping & Logistics Hubs,” Marine Insight, 13 May 2025)
Former NATO leader calls for NATO Arctic strategy in response to Russia’s Arctic Militarization
On 13 May, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for developing a formal Arctic strategy in response to Russia’s growing military presence. He highlighted the latest Russian air bases and defence investments and urged NATO to create Arctic capability targets to induce member investment. As NATO prepares to finalise its new defence goals in the upcoming summit in June summit, and significance of the Arctic is increasing, mainly with Sweden and Finland part of NATO. Although Denmark faces pressure to boost its Arctic defences, especially in Greenland, after Trump’s claims. He signalled its readiness to expand US military presence under existing treaties. Rasmussen emphasized the need for “genuine defence investment over provocative takeover rhetoric.” (Sanne Wass,“NATO’s Former Head Says Allies Must Counter Russia’s Arctic Rise,” Bloomberg, 13 May 2025)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA satellites reveal temporary Antarctic Ice Gains amid temperature anomalies
On 13 May, Live Science reported on the historic ice gain in the Antarctic despite decades of significant ice loss and rising global temperatures between 2021 and 2023. This was discovered in a study by NASA satellite data where researchers from Tongji University examined the data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellites, finding Antarctic ice sheet gain on an average of 119 billion tons of ice per year. This anomaly was due to an unusual spike in precipitation, mainly snowfall in East Antarctica, where “four major glaciers shifted from losing to gaining mass.” According to climate experts, the reversal is not predicted for the long term and is seen as a brief gain. During 2002 and 2020, Antarctica lost ice steadily, with more loss in the early 2000s, from 81 to 157 billion tons per year in the 2010s. The recent gains are seen as only temporary, with 2025 satellite readings reflecting levels seen before the anomaly. According to the scientists, global warming allows more moisture in the atmosphere, provoking occasional heavy snowfalls without a counteract to the glacial retreat. The ice loss from glaciers continues to warm rapidly and melt into the ocean. As per the global sea ice cover, there are new “near-record lows and highs.” The report highlights the complexities in Antarctica, resulting in short-term changes despite a long-term warming trend. (Patrick Pester, “NASA satellites show Antarctica has gained ice despite rising global temperatures. How is that possible?,” LiveScience, 13 May 2025)
“Two-dimensional thermal overturning was a key driver of water movement” finds a study
On 13 May, the report by EOS examined the importance of Arctic ponds in influencing permafrost thaw and the release of greenhouse gases. However, its internal mixing processes are yet to be understood. As per traditional models, mixing occurs vertically, “where surface water cools, becomes denser, and sinks straight down, mixing the water column from top to bottom.” According to a study by Henderson and MacIntyre conducted in 2025, counters that in shallow permafrost ponds, lateral (sideways) movements dominate the mixing process. This is in case of “cold, dense water formed by nighttime cooling in shallow zones flows downslope along the pond bottom.” These horizontal gravity currents “displace and renew deeper water layers, effectively ventilating the pond’s bottom even when the water remains stratified.” It found that two-dimensional thermal overturning was a key driver of water movement. This discovery changes the understanding of how Arctic ponds function and has key implications for modeling biogeochemical processes and scaling greenhouse gas emissions across Arctic regions. (Valeriy Ivanov, “Beyond Up and Down: How Arctic Ponds Stir Sideways,” EOS.org, 13 May 2025)
Europe launches smart tools for Arctic resilience to monitor real-time air and wildfire
On 07 May, the European Commission introduced two cutting-edge monitoring tools under the EU-funded Arctic PASSION project to support Arctic communities facing rapid environmental change. One is AURORAE, which forecasts real-time air quality, and the other is INFRA, for localized wildfire risk management. AURORAE, developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is a web-based platform that delivers up-to-date air quality data and two-day forecasts focused on particulate matter (PM10) across Northern Europe and the Arctic. The user-friendly platform has an interactive map with colour-coded indicators, hourly forecasts, downloadable data, and daily pollution bulletins to help residents make informed health decisions. While INFRA, developed by Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), improves wildfire preparedness by offering localised, actionable fire risk information. These tools help address urgent environmental threats to the Arctic, which is warming three times faster than the global average. The tools are supported by the EU’s Arctic policy, the European Green Deal, and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which show a growing commitment to blending research, innovation, and local empowerment to safeguard Arctic ecosystems and communities. (Joint Research Centre, “New tools to enhance environmental monitoring in the Arctic,” European Commission, 07 May 2025)