New emperor penguin colonies discovered in Antarctica
Four emperor penguin colonies have been discovered thanks to satellite images. These colonies, identified for the first time, each number fewer than 1 000 pairs.
Without Siberia, it’s hard to keep track of Arctic changes
The cooling of relations between the West and Russia is having a major impact on the study of changes in the Arctic, affecting the ability to monitor climate change.
Last season for popular Polar expedition ship
Quark Expeditions’ “Ocean Adventurer”, which has been in service for almost 50 years, will be replaced at the end of the Arctic season and will sail into an uncertain future.
Antarctica Blog Part 3
SLF technician Matthias Jaggi reports on his expedition to the Antarctic. Part three: lugging crates, digging holes and penal labour.
British start-up plans to refreeze the Arctic Ocean
The loss of sea ice in the Arctic is one of the most visible signs of our rapidly changing climate. Real Ice now wants to counteract the melting ice.
Erosion due to climate change force Yukon River communities to relocate their houses almost every year
The eroding riverbank is unpredictable, and families are forced to move to other exposed areas to continue their subsistence farming.
Fisheries bill: a consultation that goes badly
The new fisheries bill is making waves in Greenland and the main point of contention concerns the consultation period, considered too short for such an important subject for the island and its inhabitants.
Green hydrogen: Base Esperanza tests sustainable energy production
A new laboratory module is currently being installed at the Argentinian Antarctic station Esperanza, which aims to produce green hydrogen soon and replace the diesel generators.
22 tons of glacier ice from Greenland for Dubai
The world’s “purest ice” from Greenland’s glacier has arrived in Dubai after a nine-week journey. It will soon be served in drinks in restaurants.
Semi-mature start-up of Arctic LNG 2 production
Despite a series of sanctions, the Arctic LNG 2 project has seen the light of day with its first production train operational. However, its performance has fallen short of the original target.
Estonian TV-crew sailed through the Northwest Passage to honor the country’s polar heroes
In September, the Admiral Bellinghausen became the first Estonian ship to pass through the legendary sea passage and (approximately) the 160th yacht to complete the voyage.
Shape matters: Transport of microplastics to the polar regions
Why are microplastics found in the polar regions almost exclusively in fibre shape? The latest experiments and simulations provide the answer: fibres can be transported much further in the atmosphere than particles with a different shape.
Eight new production licenses in the Barents Sea
Oil exploration in the Barents Sea continues, with Norway issuing eight new licenses. While Greenpeace and Young Friends of the Earth win a legal battle against the state.
Nunavummiut now in control of Nunavut
An agreement transferring full responsibility to the Government of Nunavut for the management of its territory and resources was signed last Thursday. Between the housing crisis and recruitment difficulties, the challenges posed by this agreement remain great for the region.
Extreme cold still happens in a warming world – in fact climate instability may be disrupting the polar vortex
Global warming may be disrupting the polar vortex causing cold air outbreaks in southern parts of the world.
Change of personnel at the “North Pole-41” drift station
An operation to deliver supplies and transfer polar researchers to the “North Pole-41” drift station was successfully carried out in the Arctic Ocean.
Antarctic ice shows heavy metal pollution dating back to the Middle Ages
Analizing ice cores shows that heavy metals have been transported to the heart of Antarctica from both geographically and temporally distant regions.
For 15 years, cannons on Denmark’s Arctic patrol ships did not work
It is worrying for our security, Greenland’s foreign minister says. But shooting is only a small part of the job, explains a local expert.
Cause of strongest heatwave in Antarctica deciphered
The unprecedented heatwave that hit East Antarctica almost two years ago could be traced back to an intense atmospheric river from lower latitudes.
A new ocean observatory near the Antarctic Peninsula
To monitor the melting of the Antarctic and its effects on the balance of the Southern Ocean, a Spanish-Canadian association is installing a measuring point next to the Spanish Juan Carlos I base. It transmits data by satellite from the Antarctic Peninsula.
Southern Ocean acidification could double by the end of the century
By 2100, the acidity of Antarctic coastal waters could double. A threat to ecosystems and animal life in the Southern Ocean.
Five species positive for avian influenza in South Georgia
First announced last spring of the southern hemisphere, highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI is now affecting five of the 14 species tested in South Georgia. A few suspected cases near the Antarctic Peninsula suggest that the disease is still spreading.
Remote teaching in Greenland transforms small school classes
In the past, teachers in remote villages in Greenland had to teach all subjects to all age groups.
Arctic benthos hardly influenced by seasons
Despite the strong seasonal fluctuations in living conditions in the Arctic, the animals living on the seabed of the Arctic Ocean are largely unaffected by the seasons.
About us
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO!
- You want daily news from the polar regions?
- You want facts and you want to form your own opinion?
- You want information on all sorts of topics, from polar politics to culture?
- You have ideas, tasks or projects around the polar regions and need help?
Then PolarJournal is the right place for you! Our international team 2023 (from left to right: Mirjana Binggeli (CH), Dr. Michael Wenger (CH), Julia Hager (D), Camille Lin (F) and Heiner Kubny (not pictured) provides news, images and videos from the polar regions. Guest authors from various countries and experts in their fields enrich the news with blog entries, opinions and analyses. Daily updates, to the point, fact-based and now in three languages! With decades of real experience on the ground, we know what we are talking about. Our knowledge, experience and connections should help you to better understand the polar regions.
Heiner Kubny (not pictured) is the author and domainholder of polarjournal.
Our goal: to carry the fascination of the “polar region” into the hearts and minds!
Write, call, or chat with us on our social media channels! We are here for you!
THE 2019 FOUNDING TEAM!
During the summer of 2019, polar photographers Heiner Kubny (right) and his wife Rosamaria (2nd from right) joined forces with journalist and author Christian Hug (3rd from right) and polar guide Dr. Michael Wenger (far left) to create a German-language information platform for polar affairs, marking the start of PolarJournal.
The aim: to carry the fascination of the polar regions into people’s hearts and minds and to show how diverse, important and influential the Arctic and Antarctic are.