COP26 Melting iceberg brought to Glasgow to highlight perils of climate change to Arctic

“The reality check is that the Arctic is warming three times faster than the global average. It is the canary in the coalmine of climate change,” said Gail Whiteman, the founder of Arctic Basecamp and a professor of Sustainability at the University of Exeter Business School. 

“Regardless of the discussions that are actually happening, this iceberg is going to melt away and so are ones that are in the ocean. If they actually come up with good agreements and a significant bold step forward, perhaps we can start to save some of the others,” she told CNA on Friday (Nov 5).

The iceberg was transported by a refrigerated truck.

The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest on Earth. If it was to completely melt, sea levels around the world could rise by more than 7m. 

Prof Whiteman said the Arctic might seem like a distant concern, but the consequences of what happens there are already being felt across the globe.

“If you’re in Bangkok, or Jakarta, or Singapore you might think the Arctic is a faraway place. Maybe it’s good for a holiday of a lifetime or for shipping one day. But actually it is affecting extreme weather around the world and sea level rise. The Arctic is already in your backyard, “she said. 

“The storm surges that can do so much damage, that’s the Arctic calling. It’s there whether people know it or not. This iceberg is a visible reminder that what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay there.”

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