The US is canceling its Arctic Report Card when it matters most

“With new opportunities opening up, and new challenges emerging, close cooperation on Arctic security and economic development among our nations is more important than ever”. 

This May joint statement by the U.S. and allies underscores the rapidly growing importance of the Arctic to the U.S. and on the global stage. Yet, earlier this month, I, my fellow editors and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel were informed that support for the Arctic Report Card — our flagship annual report since 2006 — is canceled. 

The U.S. is an Arctic nation not simply by interest, but on the ground. Alaska, our Arctic state, contains roughly 18 percent of U.S. land area. The Alaska coastline itself is almost 20 percent longer than the contiguous U.S. coastline.

The Arctic is also the fastest warming region on the planet, and conditions on land and sea are rapidly changing. The effects are being felt across industry and fisheries, business and economic development, remote communities, security and military planning, as well as in hazard preparedness and response.

The fast and timely release of the Arctic Report Card, in December of the reporting year, is a critical strength, with the report card commonly acting as the first information source on the latest observations and facilitating rapid decision making.

Sea ice in September now only covers roughly half of the area that it did in the 1980s. This has quickly opened up key shipping routes, particularly the Northern Sea Route along the Russian Arctic coast. The use and development of the route is progressing quickly. 

This year, at least........

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