It's Time to Stop Warming the Planet

It's Time to Stop Warming the Planet

Right now the warming of the Arctic — the earth’s air conditioner — is the greatest conservation challenge we face. Home to whales, seals, polar bears, and more than four million people, the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the planet. The consequences are massive, and will have impact across the planet and threaten Arctic peoples' way of life. Already ocean-climate changes have forced coastal village residents to abandon their homes and to consider moving whole communities as the ground literally erodes from under them.
As the melting ice gives way to new ocean passages, the Arctic seas become ripe for abuse. Without responsible management, an ocean gold rush is inevitable. Already, oil drilling, international shipping, and industrial fishing operations are vying to grab these newly exposed areas. As one Native leader agrees, it’s simply too much, too fast, too soon.
With nationally renowned policy and science experts, Ocean Conservancy is uniquely positioned to collaborate with conservation partners and others to confront these threats to the Arctic. We’re fighting for a time-out on rapid expansion, until we have the science and the structure we need to guide decision-making. We’re championing oil and gas policies that will reduce the impact on marine life and coastal communities. We’re advocating sustainable limits and fishing methods for fisheries along Alaska’s northwest coast. And as previously ice-locked shipping routes are opened to international commerce, we’re pressing for safeguards to prevent oil spills and other accidents.
The policies and protections we put in place in the Arctic will serve as models as we address changes further south. With the support of our members, Ocean Conservancy is ensuring a future for the Arctic’s people, for its wildlife — and for all of us.