The Arctic is under stress – this much we know. From 1979 to 2021, this area warmed up four times faster than the global average. This warming affects its ecology and carbon storage ability as well as global sea levels, wider ocean currents, and weather patterns. We still don’t understand these effects.
The author started Arctic research in 1997. Each summer since then, they’ve monitored changes in pollution, habitats, and food chains. They use a ‘One Health’ approach to examine how these changes affect wildlife, people, and ecosystems together. It’s obvious that as the Arctic warms breaks down, and experiences more human activity new health risks are emerging.
One of the main reasons we need to take quick action towards the arctic is that the arctic might become a breeding ground for a lot of unknown communicable diseases that will eventually jump from animals to humans. We might have to face another pandemic in the near future.
The COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated the gravity of this threat.
Animals are the source of 60% of emerging infectious diseases. These illnesses emerge and proliferate due to habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and food chain alterations. The Arctic faces all these challenges. As sea ice disappears persistent chemicals migrate into Arctic regions. This allows pathogens to enter an environment where some native species such as polar bears (Ursus maritimus), lack prior exposure. This heightens the risk.
Another risk is that ancient microorganisms trapped in frozen ice and soil will emerge as the ground thaws. These hazards will grow. The Arctic will see its first ice-free summer around 2030. The Arctic Ocean presents massive opportunities for energy, fishing, and tourism sectors but lacks a global agreement to regulate its use.
People once believed microbial activity in the Arctic was minimal. Few resources go to studying animal diseases that can jump to humans in Arctic regions compared to warmer areas, and most places don’t monitor for new threats. This perspective needs to shift taking into account human, animal, and wider environmental factors.
To protect wildlife, we need long-term funding to monitor upcoming changes in animal populations.
These strategies should involve local communities and use proven techniques that don’t require advanced technology like cryogenics making them easy to implement on-site. We could integrate these initiatives into existing Arctic Council programs that track and assess pollution, biodiversity, and climate changes, as outlined in their ‘One Arctic, One Health’ project.
Reference:
