Greenland registered its warmest January on record, sharpening concerns over how fast-rising Arctic temperatures are reshaping core parts of the island’s economy.
Greenland, the Arctic island coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, is warming at a rate four times faster than the global average, redrawing expectations for fishing, mining and daily life.
Trump has said the U.S. “must own Greenland” for security reasons, although he has backed away from threats to take the island by force.
Preliminary readings from the Danish Meteorological Institute show that temperatures in Nuuk averaged +0.2 degrees Celsius in January, well above the historical average of -7.7 degrees between 1991 and 2020 and the highest ever recorded.
“Climate change is already clearly visible on Greenland,” said Jacob Hoyer, head of the National Centre for Climate Research at the Danish Meteorological Institute.
“From the records, we can see that it is warming four times faster than the mean temperature hike in the world.”
Thinner sea ice now stretches less far south during winter and is harder to use for transport. Hoyer said warmer waters are also reshaping conditions around Greenland, a shift that could influence the island’s main export sector.
Catches of shrimp, halibut and cod accounted for 23% of gross domestic product in 2023, according to Statistics Greenland, and provide 15% of all jobs.
“The waters around Greenland are also warming up, and that can change the ecosystem and the fishery business. It will most likely have an impact,” he said, adding it was too early to know the scale.
Greenland’s mineral wealth remains a strategic factor. A Danish survey published in 2023 found that 25 of the 34 minerals labelled “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were present on the island.
Red tape, harsh conditions and opposition from indigenous groups have made mining costly, but Hoyer said the warming climate could make extraction and shipping less expensive.
Other businesses face immediate strain. Casper Moller, who runs tours for visitors, said the lack of snow and ice is disrupting excursions.
“So, what we are doing at this moment is just crossing our fingers that we will reach more snow quite soon,” he said.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks...
China has officially opened the Pinglu Canal, a $10.75 billion waterway giving the country's landlocked southwest a shorter, direct route to th...
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held high-level talks in Seoul aimed at expanding South Korean investment, industrial cooperation and partnershi...
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks by the Iran-aligned group deepen regional tensions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit overnight.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature’s most striking nesting events. But conservation officials warn that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for their eggs to hatch.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Increasingly intense wildfires and heat waves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect public health, the United Nations’ weather agency has warned.
Vast flocks of storks passed through Türkiye and the Bosporus this week as part of their annual autumn migration from European breeding grounds toward Africa and the Middle East.
China's coastal areas and southern regions are preparing for days of intense precipitation, with tens of thousands of people evacuated as Typhoon Narra tracks inland and another storm churns toward the country's eastern seaboard.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment