The Breaking Point of the Arctic Refuge by Neeraja Gajendran
The Arctic refuge is one of the last remaining intact ecosystems on our planet. The Arctic refuge has been a hot topic in political discussions as people argue back and forth whether to protect the land or whether to lease it for oiling and drilling. In 2017, Congress passed a bill that required the Department of Interior, a federal executive department that protects the USA's natural resources, to approve at least two lease deals for oil drilling. This threat was further augmented in 2019 when Congress declared that they would open the entire coastal plain to oil and gas exploration. The Bureau of Land Management also filed a statement that it would grant leases by the end of 2020, explaining that the environmental effects were being over exaggerated.
The Arctic refuge hosts a grand variety of wildlife. The species that live there rely on one another and the environment. Beluga whales depend on the melting ice to travel to calving grounds. The long daylight hours in the spring and summertime bring luscious energy for microscopic life. The ice of the arctic also plays an important role. Permafrost, something that is impenetrable, establishes a surface where melting water and rainwater can collect. This allows for the creation of wetlands in tundras. Small plants take advantage of these pools of water along with the sunlight to grow. In the spring, the ice melts and begins to crack, causing moving channels of water to grow. In the summer, the ice is completely broken up by large bodies of water. In autumn, the temperature drops and the ice cracks begin to fill in. This precious cycle of ice is important in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Disruption of this cycle would have detrimental effects and oil drilling in this region would do just that.
To start off, drilling the ice requires the transportation of heavy equipment by trucks and other vehicles. This would damage the ice and cause it to crack. Premature cracking of the ice can disrupt the ice cycle and lead to a domino effect of disastrous events. For instance, as ice cracks, it becomes weaker and more prone to splitting entirely. Polar bears rely on the ice to travel for hunting. If the ice were to split, the polar bears would not be able to hunt and would thus starve. Moreover, we do not need and cannot handle more oil drilling. Fossil fuels are already being heavily overused, causing pollution and overall global warming-- in fact, average temperatures in the arctic refuge have risen around 6.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1949. In addition to disrupting wildlife, the rising temperatures cause shorter winters and thus also disturb native life as they wouldn’t be able to do their traditional herding, hunting, and fishing. Moreover, the arctic refuge is an important carbon reserve as it has carbon frozen in the ground. As the ice melts with the temperature rising, it releases all of this carbon into the atmosphere. This only worsens the problem as an abundance of carbon in our air would cause an increase in temperature.
As mentioned above, the arctic refuge is home to diverse wildlife as well as indigenous people. One major animal that is at risk is the polar bear. It has already been declared as a threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act. Seismic surveying is an oil and gas exploration method where high pressure vibrations are sent into the ground. These vibrations can destroy dens that are vital for hibernation. Hibernation is especially important for newborn cubs as they can freeze to death if they don’t. To make matters worse, if the oil drilling takes place, there is around a 75% chance of an oil spill. If polar bears were to become coated in the oil, it would prevent their fur from protecting them from the cold and they would freeze to death. They can also risk ingesting harmful toxins through grooming or eating other animals that have come into contact with the oil. It is clear that oil drilling will bring nothing more than destruction and an end to many species of wildlife. Moreover, the Gwich'in and Iñupiat peoples that live on the arctic are also at risk. The Gwich’in people heavily rely on the Porcupine Caribou herd for clothing, food, and spiritual practices. The Iñupiat people rely on the bounty of the sea for bowhead whales for food. If any of the animals go extinct, not only will it disrupt the ecosystem but it will also deprive the indigenious people of food.
Why should you worry about the worsening crisis of the arctic refuge? Because it directly affects you as well! To start off, the Arctic helps to regulate the world’s temperature. With the allowance of oil drilling, it will eventually lead to more global warming. With warmer temperatures, more ice will melt. This will cause sea levels to rise and eventually be high enough to flood coastal cities and drown island countries. Melting ice can also cause heat waves and other extreme weather disasters across North America. As residents of California, we have already been experiencing some of these more extreme events. These past few years, California and surrounding states have been experiencing horrendous wildfires. Locally, Pleasanton has been experiencing much hotter summers. With an alteration in the temperature, it ultimately disrupts the natural pattern of climate. An example of this is the recent events in Texas. Texas received many feet of snow for the first time ever. Texans were unprepared as their houses and roads were not built for that type of weather. With this said, it is clear that we need to act fast and diligently to prevent any further issues.
How can you help? Your voice is your most powerful tool. President Biden has nominated Deb Haaland as the next Secretary of Interior. She would be the first Indigenous woman elected as a cabinet. Electing her would be a great step forward in solving this crisis. She wants to fight for the protection of public lands and wants to take action to fight the climate crisis. To help, you can write a letter to your senator expressing that you support her nomination. The more people that send letters, the more we can amplify our voices. If you’d like more information, visit protectthearctic.org as they have detailed instructions and guidelines.
The Arctic Refuge is one of our last standing ecosystems on this planet. It is home to a variety of wildlife and indigenous people. It plays an important role in our climate. Allowing for oil drilling in this region would have detrimental effects on not only the life there but for the rest of the world as well. Our climate crisis will only worsen. We need to take action now!
Works Cited
Greenpeace.org. “The Arctic & Global Warming.” Greenpeace.
McGlashen, Andy. “The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Faces Its Biggest Threat Yet This Week.” Audubon, 7 Jan. 2021.
Protectthearctic.com. Environmental Importance, Protect The Arctic, 2020.
Protectthearctic.com. History of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Protect The Arctic, 2020.
Protectthearctic.com. Indigenous Peoples, Protect The Arctic, 2020.
Protectthearctic.com. Threat, Protect The Arctic, 2020.
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