Latest news with #Svalbard
Arab News
5 days ago
- Science
- Arab News
In Norway's Arctic, meteorologists have a first-row seat to climate change
TROMSO: In the cold of the Norwegian Arctic, meteorologist Trond Robertsen manually recorded precipitation levels for over two decades, witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change. At 66, Robertsen retired after enduring spartan conditions during missions that totalled eight years on two islands of the Svalbard archipelago: Bjornoya (Bear Island) and Hogen. To reach the remote Bjornoya, where the only humans are the nine employees of the small weather station, the meteorologists have to fly in by helicopter as they are rotated on a six-month basis. 'The idea is to not stay too long, because it's a different rhythm, and you are isolated,' Robertsen told AFP. It is demanding work. 'It's a 24/7 occupation,' he said. 'We are doing it all day, all night.' The team worked shifts to cover all hours of the day, he explained. Weather observation starts in the early morning at 6:00 am. 'It's manually done, then you have to go outside and check the bucket that is collecting precipitation,' said Robertsen. 'During wintertime you have to melt the snow and ice into water' to determine how much has fallen. The data is then transmitted the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in Tromso and Oslo. 'This tiny little observation is actually quite crucial for the weather forecasting systems up north, because observations are so sparse from that area.' Bjornoya sits in the middle of fishing grounds, and the weather reports published twice a day are closely followed by the fishing boats in the area. Since his first missions to the Arctic in the 1990s, Robertsen has witnessed the changing climate. 'When I started going up north, there was a lot of ice. In the later years, it's less ice and fewer polar bears. You can see the climate change,' he said. Polar bears have been classified as a vulnerable population since 1982 on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species, with the loss of Arctic sea ice the most pressing threat against the species. However, their precise numbers, are almost impossible to assess. In winter, employees of station always venture out in pairs and have to be armed due to the presence of polar bears, but according to Robertsen it's rarer to encounter them today. In April, during his last mission to the island, Robertsen had an accident while doing carpentry: he slipped and ended up cutting one finger clean off and half of another. Due to tough weather conditions, he had to wait some 26 hours before being evacuated by helicopter and transported to a hospital. 'It was a heavy snowstorm coming in, only the day after the helicopter came,' he recounted. Looking back, Robertsen does not regret the years spent under the austere living conditions. 'The Arctic has given me so many experiences and memories so it is a small fee to pay back with my left little finger and part of my ring finger,' he said.
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Science-Minded Artist Shrinks the Universe to Human Scale
Katie Paterson's work has always been about Earth, and the great vastness beyond. A Scottish multidisciplinary artist, she has worked with scientists across the globe on exhaustively researched projects, including The Future Library, an anthology of 100 previously unpublished books written by some of the 21st century's most celebrated writers. In 2022, astronomers helped her count the times the sun has risen since the Earth was formed — to the most accurate level scientists can — for a piece titled '—there lay the Days between—.' Years earlier, she had worked with scientists specializing in light at the firm Osram to develop lightbulbs that simulate the lunar glow. And yet, 'I never want to go into space,' Paterson said in a video interview. Asked whether her works are portraits of Earth or of us, she said, 'It's going to be us.' 'If all those cosmic sequences hadn't happened, we wouldn't be here breathing and talking together,' she explained. Ultimately, she said, in all her work, she has always been trying to 'get a little bit closer to that understanding of quite how precious life is.' That lifetime pursuit underpins three current projects: a series of paintings on view in an exhibition in Cumbria, England, and 'Afterlife,' which will soon be installed at the Folkestone Triennial 2025 in Kent, England; and 'True North,' which has taken Paterson from Japan to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, where she has just completed a residency. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
19-06-2025
- The Independent
New rules could see end of close-up polar bear photos in cruise brochures
Small ship cruise lines may stop putting close-up images of polar bears in brochures because of new restrictions in Norway, according to an industry expert. Akvile Marozaite, chief executive of UK-based global representative body Expedition Cruise Network, said limits on how close ships can get to the animals means the sector must change 'how we communicate' with travellers. Polar bears are a key draw for people embarking on sailings to Norwegian-ruled archipelago Svalbard, as they can be observed in their natural Arctic habit. But concerns about interference from humans means the government has banned ships in the region from being closer than 500 metres from the animals. Ms Marozaite said the sector is partly paying the price for 'always talking about polar bears' in relation to Svalbard trips. She told the PA news agency: 'Of course they are something that people want to see, but expedition cruising to Svalbard is actually an incredible opportunity to experience a lot of other things about the destination. 'There is incredible human history, beautiful scenery, other species of wildlife.' Ms Marozaite said cruise lines are continuing to show their guests polar bears, some by sailing closer to Greenland. The impact of Norway's distance rule is 'more to do with how we communicate', she said. 'The communication around Arctic voyages is going to change. 'Companies hopefully will no longer be putting close-up images of polar bears on the brochure. 'That's a good thing, because finally we will start talking about the destination the way it should be talked about.' But expedition leader and photographer Paul Goldstein criticised the new regulations. He told The Independent's travel podcast: 'This is a classic example of what I term 'conservation fascism'. 'I have led small ship charters in the region since 2004. 'Never once have I seen a single incident where tourists intimidate or affect the behaviour of polar bears.' He added that if a camera lens 'the size of a Stinger missile' is required to see polar bears then most visitors will miss out. Norway's minister of climate and environment Andreas Bjelland Erikse previously said the rules are necessary as climate change is 'leading to more difficult conditions for polar bears on Svalbard'. He went on: 'It is important for them to be able to search for food, hunt, rest and take care of their cubs without interference from humans. 'That is why we must keep a good distance.' The minimum distance will be reduced to 300 metres from July 1. The Norwegian government said visitors to Svalbard have 'a duty to retreat to a legal distance' if they encounter a polar bear that is too close. Ships are also banned from carrying more than 200 passengers in the region.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Yahoo
New rules could see end of close-up polar bear photos in cruise brochures
Small ship cruise lines may stop putting close-up images of polar bears in brochures because of new restrictions in Norway, according to an industry expert. Akvile Marozaite, chief executive of UK-based global representative body Expedition Cruise Network, said limits on how close ships can get to the animals means the sector must change 'how we communicate' with travellers. Polar bears are a key draw for people embarking on sailings to Norwegian-ruled archipelago Svalbard, as they can be observed in their natural Arctic habit. But concerns about interference from humans means the government has banned ships in the region from being closer than 500 metres from the animals. Ms Marozaite said the sector is partly paying the price for 'always talking about polar bears' in relation to Svalbard trips. She told the PA news agency: 'Of course they are something that people want to see, but expedition cruising to Svalbard is actually an incredible opportunity to experience a lot of other things about the destination. 'There is incredible human history, beautiful scenery, other species of wildlife.' Ms Marozaite said cruise lines are continuing to show their guests polar bears, some by sailing closer to Greenland. The impact of Norway's distance rule is 'more to do with how we communicate', she said. 'The communication around Arctic voyages is going to change. 'Companies hopefully will no longer be putting close-up images of polar bears on the brochure. 'That's a good thing, because finally we will start talking about the destination the way it should be talked about.' But expedition leader and photographer Paul Goldstein criticised the new regulations. He told The Independent's travel podcast: 'This is a classic example of what I term 'conservation fascism'. 'I have led small ship charters in the region since 2004. 'Never once have I seen a single incident where tourists intimidate or affect the behaviour of polar bears.' He added that if a camera lens 'the size of a Stinger missile' is required to see polar bears then most visitors will miss out. Norway's minister of climate and environment Andreas Bjelland Erikse previously said the rules are necessary as climate change is 'leading to more difficult conditions for polar bears on Svalbard'. He went on: 'It is important for them to be able to search for food, hunt, rest and take care of their cubs without interference from humans. 'That is why we must keep a good distance.' The minimum distance will be reduced to 300 metres from July 1. The Norwegian government said visitors to Svalbard have 'a duty to retreat to a legal distance' if they encounter a polar bear that is too close. Ships are also banned from carrying more than 200 passengers in the region.
The Independent
17-06-2025
- The Independent
New polar bear rule blamed for empty cruise ships
New rules in Svalbard, Norway, require tourist ships to stay at least 500 metres (1,640 feet) away from polar bears until 30 June, reducing to 300 metres thereafter, to protect the animals from human interference. The Norwegian government says the regulations are necessary due to climate change impacting polar bear habitats, and will ensure they can hunt, rest, and care for their cubs without disturbance. Violators of the distance rule face up to five years in prison if substantial environmental damage or risk is caused. Expedition leader Paul Goldstein has criticised the rules as "conservation fascism", claiming he has never seen tourists harm polar bears and that the regulations are excessively strict. Mr Goldstein argues the new rules are causing thousands of cabins on tourist ships to remain empty, denying many people the chance to see polar bears up close.
