The Polar Retrospective looks at stories of the past week that are related to the Arctic and Antarctic and focuses on one or more aspects. And this time, the heat is on both in Greenland and in the heart of Antarctica.
Two central topics in both polar regions were the focus of attention for both national and international media last week: tourism in the Arctic and climate in the Antarctic. Both topics and both locations are hotly debated, and in both cases the problems are more complex than they appear at first glance.
Heated debate about tourism in Ilulissat and Greenland
Tempers are running high in the western Greenlandic town of Ilulissat due to a dispute between local tourism enterprises and international cruise and travel companies. This dispute culminated the week before last in a blockade of a large cruise ship by local companies in the port of Ilulissat. The ship, belonging to a well-known Norwegian expedition cruise company, was prevented from docking by smaller boats belonging to local tourism companies. The reason for the blockade and the dispute is the non-use of the services offered by local companies for excursions and tours. With this and other actions, the protesters drew attention to the fact that the cruise companies and expedition operators either use foreign companies based in Greenland or even just their own guides and experts on board the vessels for local tours. By doing so, they are damaging the local tourism industry and not contributing to the local value added of the industry, demonstrators stated.
On the other hand, cruise lines and tour operators have long argued that the services and offers of local companies either do not have sufficient capacity, that the companies are too inflexible in their response to short-term changes, and that the costs of the services are too high, making the products of the organizers too expensive, which in turn affects the occupancy rate of the vessels. Furthermore, there would usually be competent experts on board the vessels who were familiar with local conditions and also knew the guests and their requirements.
AECO between the fronts
The dispute has been simmering for some time and the discussions are not limited to Ilulissat, one of Greenland’s tourist hotspots. Other communities and local tourism representatives also share the opinion of their colleagues there. Too many vessels, too many tourists and too little added value for the local tourism industry are among the criticsm. New laws and regulations are currently being discussed to correct the course, which should bring more financial sovereignty and income to the municipalities and at the same time put a stop to the spectre of “mass tourism”.
The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) stands between the fronts of cruise companies, local tourism providers and the government. Since its foundation, AECO has been committed to sustainable tourism in the Arctic that meets the economic interests of all sides without damaging the natural environment of the Arctic. It focuses on dialog and exchange and sets rules and guidelines for its members to ensure local added value and a positive experience for both sides. However, here is also one of the biggest problems, as many of the cruise companies and providers that call at Greenland are not AECO members and are therefore not bound by its rules. Another problem is that AECO has no political backing in the form of a comprehensive treaty that makes membership of the organization almost necessary, as is the case in the Antarctic and its sister organization IAATO. Furthermore, each Arctic region must develop its own measures that are adapted to the national legislation of the respective country.
However, as cruise tourism is coming under increasing criticism from local representatives worldwide and efforts to reduce it are underway in many places, national laws are constantly changing. As a result, planning is becoming much more difficult and expensive for tour operators and expedition companies. However, costs are a significant factor in the current glut of Arctic expedition tours. The aim is to maximize capacity utilization and the guests’ experience while keeping costs as low as possible. That’s why demonstrators, blockades and the rejection of visitors do not go down well. However, the representatives in Ilulissat have threatened to protest, and the AECO intends to expand the dialogue in order to cool things down a bit.
Heatwave in East Antarctica
Things are also hotting up on the other side of the globe, particularly in East Antarctica. Places like the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole or the Vostok Station, which holds the record for the lowest temperature ever measured on Earth, recorded temperatures that were between 10° and 15°C above normal. Satellite measurements last week showed air temperature anomalies of up to 30°C above the long-term average for the entire region. Other areas of Antarctica are also showing higher temperatures than usual, while some parts, such as the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea region, are showing anomalies that are up to 20°C lower than normal. Despite the latter temperatures, experts are already talking about another heatwave like the one in March 2022, when temperatures were up to 40°C above normal. However, the term “relativize” is appropriate here, as temperatures are still in the mid-double-digit minus range.
The reasons for the recent warm spell, which is likely to continue for a few more days, are still generally unclear. However, experts believe that a weakened polar vortex in the stratosphere, around 30 kilometers above ground, is partly responsible. The polar vortex is a band of cold air and low-pressure systems in the stratosphere around the poles. When this band, which is usually stable over the region in winter and ensures low temperatures, is disturbed by atmospheric waves of warm air, the vortex movement is weakened and warm air is brought into the region, which is then transported downwards and causes air temperatures to rise above normal.
At the same time, the continuous winds around Antarctica are weakened, cold air breaks out to the north and cools the areas there further than normal. As a result, regions such as South Africa, New Zealand and eastern Australia are currently experiencing lower than normal temperatures. The current situation appears to be the culmination of a warm spell that has lasted throughout July and, according to experts, is also due to the recent low levels of Antarctic sea ice. They also see this warm spell as part of fluctuations that have occurred repeatedly since the temperatures measured in the 1940s. However, the consensus is that such extremes will continue to increase in the future, as they have in other parts of the world, including the Arctic.
Dr. Michael Wenger, Polar Journal AG
