Name: Olivia Sosnowska

Date: 3/1/2023
Block: 1

How does climate change affect the wildlife and environment of Antarctica and the Arctic?

Scientists say that we have 10 years before climate change is irreversible and we reach the tipping point
in greenhouse gas emissions. These changes in temperature will be experienced everywhere but the most and
quickest to be affected will be the arctic regions of our planet. The Arctic and Antarctica’s wildlife and
environment has been negatively affected by climate change for decades but there is still something we can do
to prevent further irreparable damage to the wildlife and environment of our Arctic worlds.

An issue the arctic and Antarctic has been dealing with is that climate change has negatively affected the
regions of Antarctica and the Arctic. For example, Climate change has negatively affected the wildlife in
Antarctica and the arctic. According to a news source from Gale, part of Cengage Group, a publishing
company, who tries to connect people to essential content globally, addresses that, “wildlife also faces
displacement and habitat loss, with animal species such as polar bears, arctic foxes, snowy owls, seals,
reindeer, walruses, and penguins encountering particularly acute risks. As these animals dwindle in
numbers and migrate into nonnative areas, other animal species that depend on them for survival are also
affected, creating a potentially devastating cumulative effect.” This shows how climate change negatively
affected wildlife because it caused change in wildlife behavior. Instead of hunting and behaving as they should,
the animals have had to adapt in order to survive which isn't a good thing because it can lead to their extinction.
Additionally, Netflix has made a documentary episode named Our Planet - Frozen Worlds addressing the
effects of climate change on wildlife and say, “the late ice causes the ice to be flat and gives less time for the
seals to create dens for their young so polar bears can easily catch them” If seals are vulnerable for too long
then it will eventually catch up to the polar bears and create a lack of a food source for them. This will create
an imbalance in the food chain and put many animals in danger from extinction. In the same documentary
episode, Netflix also adds how walruses are affected by mentioning that, “there are less areas to gather for
the Walruses due to loss of sea ice, some of them have started to climb cliffs just to get enough room to
breathe but when going down they fall and die most of the time.” The safety of wildlife is also a result of
wildlife being negatively affected by climate change. With less sea ice due to climate change it causes animals
such as walruses to take risks they would not normally need to do. This can cause unnecessary deaths in
animals which can lead to endangerment. The organization called “Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition”
has done research in Antarctica and the oceans around it and in doing so they have revealed that, “in parts of
this area, some estimates suggest numbers have declined by 70 to 80 percent since the 1970s. The collapse of
Adélie and chinstrap penguin colonies in this region has also been linked to shrinking krill populations. The
effects of climate change have offered less time and room for penguin colonies to gather and breed which
results in the decrease of population. Krill rely on sea ice to breed and feed under so when there is lots of sea
ice loss the krill populations will shrink which takes away a food source for Adélie penguins. In relation to
the declined numbers of Adélie penguins, “there has been a shift from large phytoplankton (such as diatoms,
which are a preferred food source for krill) to smaller varieties, which are favored by salps” (Antarctic and
Southern Ocean Coalition). With less food for krill the krill will slowly lower in numbers which can affect any
animal that eats krill such as humpback whales. While there are smaller variétés for slaps, those will
eventually run out too leaving the slaps with little food. Without slaps many wildlife will lose a food source
such as fish, turtles and corals. Wildlife is a crucial part of any ecosystem. Each animal has an important role
and if that role is changed or one of the animals is removed then it will cause a domino effect. Even if only
one thing changes in the food chain then it can all collapse which is why it is important to address how
negatively climate change affects the arctic and Antarctic. Climate change has also negatively affected the
environment in Antarctica and the Arctic. The same publishing company, Gale, part of Cengage Group, has
published many articles that have content on climate change and its effects on the environment in the arctic.
One of those news articles has addressed that, “it also leads to more extreme winter weather, increasing the
unpredictability of the high-pressure polar wind current known as the jet stream. Twists in the direction of
the jet stream can expose lower latitudes to blasts of bitter cold normally associated with higher latitudes,
and weakened jet stream winds can lead to drought and extreme heat in lower latitudes”. Climate change
negatively affects the environment because when the winter weather changes in areas that aren’t the arctic it
becomes a problem for people who aren’t used to such severe weather. The extreme change in temperature
is an issue needing to be addressed and if it’s not then soon enough the weather will be all over the place. A
non-governmental organization known as WWF who focuses on wilderness preservation and reduction of
the impact humans have on the environment, has acknowledged, like many others that climate change “is a
vicious circle: less sea ice means more open ocean, more heat absorption and more climate change, not just
within the region but beyond”. This is a very bad result of climate change because it’s very hard to break a
cycle or pattern. While the arctic and Antarctic are the most affected by climate change, soon climate change
will grow to affect more of the world when the arctic regions have melted. Many climate change
organizations or news articles about climate change say something similar like the News article published by
Gale, part of Cengage Group. The News article adresem, like many others how “lower levels of ice cover
mean less heat gets reflected away, contributing to higher overall temperatures and more frequent heat
waves during the summer months” This shows how negatively the environment is affected due to climate
change because when summer months become hotter it’s dangerous for people to go outside. It’s so hot out
it’s more easy to get a heat stroke and overheat. The same company, Gale, part of Cengage Group, also
addresses how “lower levels of polar ice stand to decrease the natural cooling effect, while increasing the
absorption of heat, raising surface temperatures, and releasing massive quantities of methane from thawing
permafrost”. Without the natural air conditioners of the Earth, our planet will become very hot and soon
there may not be cold enough winters for any arctic life to survive. When the environment is affected,
everything is too. The environment is a very important part of the arctic regions of our Earth. With climate
change negatively affecting them it can result in catastrophic weather changes, affecting the rest of the
world. If climate change continues then it can cause an imbalance in the weather and the four seasons.

The long term effects and problems of climate change are severe and irreversible but there is still time to
create solutions and fix these problems. There are many problems the arctic and Antarctic face, but they aren’t
all environmental. In the arctic, “arctic communities are experiencing food shortages and risks to livelihoods”
(WWF). This is one of the irreversible consequences because with little food the arctic communities will not
be able to survive. Arctic communities know many things about the arctic environment and know how to not
waste any food. Another problem mentioned by WWF, a non governmental organization whose goal is to
preserve wildlife and reduce human impacts on the environment, is that “a rctic glaciers and ice caps represent
only 25 percent of the world’s land ice area, meltwater from these sources accounts for 35 percent of the current
global sea-level rise”. Sea level rise is a big consequence of climate change in the arctic because when the ice
melts off then it falls into the ice and melts creating more water and making sea levels rise especially in places
such as Miami, Florida. The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition has reported many problems in the
Antarctic as well which includes “the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming places in the
Southern Hemisphere, and the waters off its western shores are warming faster than almost any other place on
earth”. With the Antarctic Peninsula melting at a rapid pace it will cause sea levels to rise and penguins will
lose crucial breeding grounds because a lot of penguins go to breed near the Antarctic peninsula during the
summer. With more and more consequences of climate change in the arctic growing there is less and less
time to do something about it. Many things are affected by climate change in the arctic regions and it affects
the whole world. Although it may seem that there are an overwhelming amount of problems connected to
climate change and the arctic regions, climate change as a whole needs many solutions to be solved. There is
no one solution to this problem but many little solutions, especially around the arctic and Antarctic, will help
set our climate back on a good course. TheAntarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition has many solutions to
climate change in Antarctica, one of them being that “w e must conserve, protect and sustainably manage
Arctic nature, building the resilience of these land- and seascapes. But protecting the Arctic will be too big a job
if we can’t stop the warming”. There are many solutions to problems in the arctic. Some are easier than
others but if we don’t find and try solutions then there will be nothing that can be done in the future. Future
generations will be doomed to live without the arctic and its wildlife and environment. Another very
important solution is mentioned by many people and climate change organizations including the climate
change organization from before. The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition mentions that “ we urgently
need to transition towards a 100 per cent renewable future by developing clean energy sources. Governments
need to finance renewable resources for Arctic communities through programmes and incentives, including by
redirecting existing subsidies for fossil fuel production and consumption and by promoting international
cooperation to advance renewable energy provision”. If the world does not transition to renewable energy
then the arctic will suffer. Renewable energy will allow the arctic to heal and let the wildlife and environment
return to a healthy ecosystem. The Arctic Council, an intergovernmental company that addresses the arctic
indigenous people and issues faced by the Arctic governments, similarly mentions how “the development
and application of practical Arctic green energy solutions enables communities to reduce emissions and
improve air quality”. If less CO2 is pumped into the air from emissions then the ozone layer protecting our
Earth from UV rays will improve and then the arctic and Antarctic will be less prone to climate change and
will have time to cool. The many solutions to climate change in the arctic are both complex and simple.
Everyone can do something even if it’s something small like choosing to ride their bike to school instead of
driving a car or planting a tree to reduce their carbon footprint. If enough people do something then it will
make a big difference.
 The Willow Project is dangerous and is a major threat to the northern arctic environment of our planet.
The project poses a threat to many of the wildlife in the Arctic. According to an environmental protection
organization news source named Audubon Alaska, “the project would also be located just southeast of one of
the most ecologically important habitats in the entire Arctic—the Teshekpuk Lake wetlands. Molting geese and
nesting Yellow-billed Loons rely on this area as a safe haven during a time when both species are vulnerable”.
If the Willow project starts it will disrupt many crucial wildlife which can create an imbalance in the ecosystem
and food chain. The project would not benefit the arctic and in fact make it worse because then the changes of
climate change would be irreversible. The same company, Audubon Alaska, also mentions more about the issue
by addressing how ConocoPhillips plans to include a plant to process crude oil for delivery in pipelines, an
airstrip, a network of roads, a gravel mine, up to 250 wells on five gravel sites called pads, and a temporary
island to accept delivery barges traveling across the Beaufort Sea. All of this is located next door to local
communities and the Teshekpuk Lake wetlands, which contains globally important habitat for Arctic birds and
other wildlife”. The tubes, pipelines and network of roads and gravel are a threat to the arctic wildlife because if
an animal stumbles upon it, it could get stuck, harmed, or it could even die. Audubon Alaska also presses how
important and sever the Willow Project is by saying that “‘the Willow project raises a number of serious issues,
including impacts to migrating caribou, anadromous fish, nesting Yellow-billed Loons, and the Indigenous
Peoples who call this area home,” said Natalie Dawson, executive director for Audubon Alaska”.If the changes
in wildlife occurs due to the Willow project it could have everlasting effects on the indigenous people living in
the arctic and the species which rely on each other in that area of the environment. A non profit conservation
organization called Defenders of Wildlife mentions similarly to Audubon Alaska how severe this issue is by
saying that “not only would ConocoPhillips’ proposed expansion of the Willow project create additional stress
for Arctic wildlife, but estimated carbon emissions associated with the field would completely negate carbon
reductions elsewhere, accelerating climate change that threatens the Arctic and beyond”. The Willow project is
bad news for everyone. If animals are too stressed out because of the project then it could change their behavior
causing the wildlife ecosystem to change. The same company also mentions this very important and unfair
detail how “the federal government can authorize activities that non-lethally harm and harass marine mammals,
as long as such activities will impact only a “small number” of animals and have no more than a “negligible
impact” on the population”. The government doesn’t care about the wildlife in the arctic. They would be glad to
get rid of it completely if it meant lots of money from the oil they would mine. This shouldn’t be an issue
because this wildlife is important to the arctic and without it everything would fall apart. It’s also important how
“with only about 900 bears remaining, the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population that frequents Alaska’s
Arctic coast is one of the world’s most imperiled polar bear populations. Based on agency conservation and
recovery goals for the Southern Beaufort Sea population, even a single oil and gas-related death could impede
the population’s recovery.” (Defenders of Wildlife). Many of the animals in the arctic are recovering from
endangerment and even a small change in their environment like drilling for oil could hinder the progress they
made and it would be back to square one. If the Willow project succeeds there could very well not be any more
polar bears left as long as there are many creatures living in the arctic. Most of the problems in the arctic due to
climate change are similar but they are so important and must be dealt with or the damage will be catastrophic
for the wildlife in the arctic. Wildlife is affected in many ways but the consequences lead to the same
destination. If the Willow project is not stopped then many of our beloved arctic animals will become extinct,
leaving future generations to wonder about them. Not only is the willow project going to severely impact
wildlife, but it is also going to affect climate change and create an irreversible problem in the arctic
environment. According to Alaska Public Media, a non profit media company, “extracting and using the oil
from Willow would produce the equivalent of more than 278 million tons (306 million short tons) of
greenhouse gasses over the project’s 30-year life, roughly equal to the combined emissions from 2 million
passenger cars over the same time period”. Pumping this much carbon into the atmosphere is not worth the
amount of barrels of oil we get in return. Emissions have already been skyrocketing and the Willow project is
the last thing we need. The same media company, Alaska Public Media, also connects to the previous quote by
saying how “‘it doesn’t address the fact that we’re increasing global emissions by doing this project. … We’re
locking in emissions for 30 years into the future when we should be on a reduction schedule’”. The plan was to
reduce carbon emissions by turning to green energy and renewable energy but the Willow project is a slap in the
face from the government who is going back on their word to strive for a cleaner and healthier future for our
Earth. Another company named Protect Our Winters which focuses its efforts on legislation regarding climate
change similarly says that “willow is the single largest oil extraction project proposed on federal lands,
estimated to add more than 250 million metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere over the next 30 years —
equivalent to the emissions from 66 coal fired power plants (roughly 1/3 of all U.S. coal plants) or from 56
million vehicles over an entire year”. Instead of trying to reduce the effects of emission the government is
doubling them by continuing with the Willow project. If it really does go forward and starts then everything any
organization or person has done to help the arctic fight against climate change will have been for nothing.
Protect Our Winter also urges how big of an impact this issue is on the environment and climate change by
saying that “this will devastate efforts to reach emission reduction targets and keep global warming below 2º
celsius. Quite simply, this is a massive carbon bomb waiting to detonate”. The thought of a carbon bomb
waiting to detonate should be scary. If an atomic or nuclear bomb was waiting to detonate everyone would be
doing everything to stop it but when it comes to the arctic and climate change, many people don’t do anything.
It may be argued that it is not the same but it is. It’s just a matter of perspective because both scenarios end with
human extinction. The Willow project is the final step to never being able to turn back climate change in the
arctic and if the government follows through it will make everything worse for future generations and the arctic.
The consequences will be irreparable and no one will be able to do anything about it because it’s the
government who can make a forever life changing decision which will not affect them at all in the long run. The
Willow project will affect many things, including indigenous people and the environment around them. A news
source named Open Access Government, who publishes articles on many things, mentions how native
indigenous people in the arctic feel by saying that “‘our Native villages are eroding into the sea, thawing
permafrost is making infrastructure insecure, and food sources are disappearing,” Itchoak said. “And this
project would just exacerbate and speed up the climate crisis in the Arctic’”. The indigenous people of Alaska
hold important values of the arctic and its environment and have a long history in this continent. If the Willow
project isn’t stopped then the consequence will be losing these people and the arctic environment. The same
news source, Open Access Government, also adds how “‘the Willow Project will be devastating for all those
that call the Arctic home. The noise, traffic, and pollution the project brings will disrupt ecosystems that
Indigenous Alaskans have relied on for millennia. And the project threatens the already vulnerable caribou
population — a vital resource many native communities rely on’”. This is a very important problem because if
the caribou population diminishes then the native communities won’t have anything to eat which will then cause
them to go hungry. The Willow project is not going to benefit us if it harms others by doing so. A well known
petition website called, Change.org has a petition on stopping the Willow Project and mentions some effects the
project would have on the Arctic by saying “as oil is exported and sent around the globe, Indigenous
communities in the Arctic are left to contend with the health impacts of pollution as well as the devastation that
comes from dramatic changes to the land like sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, and coastal erosion”. Oil is not
good for the environment. It does more harm than good and if the Willow project continues the. It will most
definitely be the end of the arctic and the native people living in Alaska. The Willow project comes with many
lasting side effects to the native people of Alaska and the environment around it. Pollution and the loss of native
communities and animals is not worth the barrels of oil that will be used to fuel more cars that will create even
more emissions, creating an even bigger never ending cycle.

The Arctic and Antarctic are important parts of our planet because of their cooling effect but right now
many things like wildlife, the environment and arctic indigenous people are being affected by climate change
with many problems but just as many solutions. These regions are being negatively affected by climate change
everyday and each day it gets worse, but there is still hope. We still have time to fix this issue. We just have to
be able to work together to save our arctic regions so we can save our planet from the climate catastrophe that is
looming over our shoulders.

Works Cited

Alaska Public Media. “What’S the Willow Project? An Explainer on the Battle Over the Major Alaska Oil
Proposal.” Alaska Public Media, Mar. 2023, alaskapublic.org/2023/03/03/biden-faces-dilemma-in-fight-over-
large-alaska-oil-project.

“Changing Life: Ocean - Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition.” Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition,
www.asoc.org/learn/changing-life-ocean.

“Climate.” Arctic Council, arctic-council.org/explore/topics/climate.

“Climate Change and the Arctic - Marine Mammal Commission.” Marine Mammal Commission, 22 July 2022,
www.mmc.gov/priority-topics/arctic/climate-change.

“Climate Crisis in Antarctica.” Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, www.asoc.org/campaign/climate-

crisis-in-antarctica.

“Climate Change - WWF Arctic.” WWF Arctic, 26 Jan. 2023, www.arcticwwf.org/threats/climate-change.

Emily. “Will the Willow Project Be Approved and What Consequences Might We See?” Open Access
Government, Mar. 2023, www.openaccessgovernment.org/the-willow-project-approved-consequences-
environment-oil-alska/154102.

Gale - Institution Finder. galeapps.gale.com/apps/auth?userGroupName=&origURL=https%3A%2F

%2Fgo.gale.com%2Fps%2Fretrieve.do%3FresultListType%3DRELATED_DOCUMENT&prodId=GVRL.

Handley, Eskarina. “How Did Past Societies Handle the Impacts of Climate Change?” Open Access
Government, Jan. 2023, www.openaccessgovernment.org/how-did-past-societies-handle-the-impacts-of-
climate-change/151714.

Our Planet: Frozen Worlds. Directed by Sophie Langer, produced by Netflix, 2019.
“Proposed Willow Oil Project Threatens Arctic Communities, Global Climate.” The Wilderness Society,
www.wilderness.org/articles/blog/proposed-willow-oil-project-threatens-arctic-communities-global-
climate.

“Sign the Petition.” Change.org, www.change.org/p/joseph-r-biden-biden-administration-and-

conocophillips-say-no-to-the-willow-project.

“Stop Oil and Gas From Pushing Polar Bears to the Edge of Extinction.” Defenders of Wildlife,
defenders.org/blog/2023/02/stop-oil-and-gas-pushing-polar-bears-edge-of-extinction.

“The Willow Project - Protect Our Winters.” Protect Our Winters, 22 Feb. 2023,
protectourwinters.org/campaign/willow.

“The Willow Project Raises Scientific Concerns for This Important.” Audubon Alaska, 23 Aug. 2019,
ak.audubon.org/press-release/massive-oil-project-poses-risks-people-birds-and-other-wildlife.