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.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. T...
The German broadcaster says energy, trade, transport and regional stability are transforming relations between Baku and Berlin....
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport an...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday (3 June) that ongoing discussions with Denmark and Greenland over the use of the island for collective defence are “in a good place.”
Denmark’s Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen said on Monday (1 June) she has agreed to form a new centre-left coalition government, securing a third consecutive term as prime minister amid heightened diplomatic tensions with the United States over Greenland.
European Union leaders were set to discuss the bloc’s mutual assistance clause at a summit in southern Cyprus on Thursday, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of traditional allies raises concerns over his commitment to NATO.
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic island’s future.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
India's investigation into last year's Air India crash that killed 260 people has entered its final stages, with investigators completing a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder and carrying out a psychological autopsy as they work towards a final report.
Toronto experienced the worst air quality of any major city in the world on Wednesday as thick smoke from wildfires burning across north-western Ontario blanketed the city.
More than 260,000 people were evacuated to safety in China's northeastern Liaoning province after Typhoon Bavi brought severe flooding and widespread disruptions.
Two endangered loggerhead sea turtles have been released into the Mediterranean from Türkiye's Antalya province as part of a conservation project to track their migration and strengthen protection efforts.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
China has maintained its highest-level rainstorm warning after Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the country's eastern coast, urging large-scale evacuations and emergency preparations across several provinces amid fears of severe flooding and landslides
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment