ALL PRODUCTS

A report released today identifies 13 of the most vulnerable places in the Arctic Ocean that should be considered for protection as summer sea ice melts and industrial activity expands into newly accessible areas. The report, released by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, offers the first-ever Arctic-wide identification of areas most important to Arctic marine life and vulnerable to additional stress on top of global warming, loss of sea ice and ocean acidification.
“The Arctic is the last ocean frontier,” said Lisa Speer, Director of the International Oceans Program at the NRDC. “We have a short window of opportunity to plan for industrial development in a way that respects and protects important and fragile ocean habitats, wildlife and communities. As nations around the Arctic plan new offshore oil development, fishing and shipping, this report jumpstarts the process of identifying areas that should be considered for protection from the environmental consequences of those activities, including oil spills, pollution, and habitat degradation.”