Last year, two records were broken in Greenland: the country saw the largest number of visiting scientists conducting research as well as the largest number of adventure travelers.
So what do these two records have in common?
According to National Geographic Adventure, the answer is Global Warming.
There is no place on this planet undergoing change faster than Greenland and therefore scientists are flocking there to research the effects that a warming planet is having upon this icy country. Adventure travelers are following in their wake because, some might argue, this phenomenal expanse of snow and glaciers may not be around to enjoy very much longer.
For those of you who scoffed at the last post we did on global warming and claim it doesn’t exist, take a moment to check out this National Geographic Adventure article to see the impact it is having on Greenland specifically.
“If warming continues at its current pace, Greenland’s melting ice sheet will raise worldwide sea levels a startling 1.6 feet (less than a meter) in the next hundred years. Further melting could even shut off the warm ocean currents that keep Europe habitable, plunging it into an ice age.”
We touch on Global Warming here at Gadling because of the effect it is having on travel. In the case of Greenland, melting ice and snow are transforming the landscape in such dramatic fashion that travelers are indeed seeking it out before it changes too much. In some cases it is already too late. Dog sledging, a very popular sport for adventure travelers, is becoming more and more difficult as too much mud is impeding the sleds.
Although the effects of global warming are mostly negative, the article also touches (ironically) on the positive consequences of global warming in Greenland. Warmer waters, for example, are resulting in record bounties of fish being caught. Increased temperatures are also responsible for more calving of ice in retreating glaciers. This powerful force of Mother Nature can be spectacular to witness and is very popular with tourists. Unfortunately, it has created so many icebergs in Disko Bay that it is no longer safe to kayak there.
Some day, if trends continue, Greenland will eventually live up to its name. In the meantime, take a moment to check out this great article and educate yourself about not only the impact of global warming, but the vast icy treasures still accessible for the adventure traveler in Greenland–for the time being, at least.