Ilulissat, Greenland – Jørgen Kristensen, a five-time Greenlandic dog sled champion, is witnessing the disappearance of the winter landscape he has known his entire life. This January, for the first time in memory, there was no sea ice in the bay outside Ilulissat, a town located approximately 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. Instead of gliding over frozen expanses, Kristensen’s sled now bumps over bare earth and rock.
Growing up in northern Greenland, Kristensen, 62, found solace in the companionship of his stepfather’s sled dogs, particularly as a child who felt different due to his fair hair, inherited from a Danish father he never knew. He recounted to the Associated Press how the dogs provided support and lifted his spirits during times of bullying at school. His lifelong connection to the animals blossomed from early fishing trips on the ice at age nine, eventually leading to a celebrated career in dog sled racing.
For over a millennium, dog sleds have been integral to the lives of Inuit seal hunters and fishermen. Yet, the warming climate is fundamentally altering this tradition. Kristensen now finds himself collecting snow for his dogs to drink during journeys, as natural sources along the route have vanished. He fears the cultural implications of losing the ability to travel by dog sled, stating, “If we lose the dog sledding, we have large parts of our culture that we’re losing. That scares me.”
The changes in Ilulissat extend beyond the disruption of traditional travel. Rising temperatures are causing permafrost to thaw, leading to sinking buildings and cracked infrastructure. The nearby Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, one of the fastest-moving and most active glaciers globally, is contributing significantly to rising sea levels, impacting regions from Europe to the Pacific Islands, according to NASA. The glacier is retreating and calving ice at an accelerated rate, a phenomenon documented by the Ilulissat Icefjord Center.
Karl Sandgreen, head of the Icefjord Center, noted that the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier has retreated approximately 40 kilometers over his lifetime. He described observing previously ice-covered valleys now exposed, and mountain rock revealed by the melting ice. Sandgreen also highlighted the role of pollution in accelerating the melt, specifically black carbon from ship engines and debris from volcanic eruptions, which absorb sunlight and increase heat absorption.
The lack of stable sea ice also poses increased dangers for fishermen, who have transitioned from dog sleds to boats. Morgan Angaju Josefsen Røjkjær, Kristensen’s business partner, explained that rain freezing into ice creates a hazardous, glass-like surface that blends with the sea, making it difficult to detect and potentially leading to accidents.
The warming trend is not merely an environmental concern; it has tangible economic consequences for Greenlandic communities. Sara Olsvig, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, stated that the Greenlandic government has previously provided financial assistance to families in the far north when the sea ice failed to freeze sufficiently for hunting. Climate change, she emphasized, is “affecting us deeply” and is occurring at a rate three to four times faster than the global average.
Some Greenlanders believe the increased attention to the island, including past expressions of interest from former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding potential ownership, is linked to the potential for accessing untapped mineral deposits revealed by the melting ice. Sandgreen noted a decrease in visits from U.S. Climate scientists since Trump’s return to office, and urged the president to “listen to the scientists” documenting the impacts of global warming.
Kristensen, through his tourism company, attempts to educate visitors about the consequences of climate change, emphasizing the importance of Greenland’s glaciers alongside ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. He believes that educating children is crucial, stating, “If we don’t start with the children, One can’t really do anything to help nature. We can only destroy it.”