The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of 23 February, 2026

A Louder Arctic: New Research Expands Understanding of Underwater Noise

As reported by Phys.org on February 24, new research published in npj Acoustics has quantified the impacts of noise from human activity on the local environment in Iqaluktuuttiaq, Nunavut. Using 10 years of underwater observations from 2015 to 2024, the researchers found that a multitude of sources in the Arctic, including ships, snowmobiles, machinery, and aircraft, are sizable contributors to underwater noise. Additionally, the study showed that the effects of loud sounds varied between seasons, with ice cover during the winter isolating the water from many noises. (Phys.org)

Take 1: The Arctic is getting louder. Increasing accessibility due to melting sea ice has led to more opportunities for human activities, like shipping and resource extraction, that emit incredible amounts of noise. Underwater noise can have serious adverse effects on marine animals, displacing them from their habitats, causing stress, and disrupting essential life functions, like hearing, communication, and navigation. Loud sounds can also frighten off potential prey, adding additional pressure. The Arctic is particularly vulnerable to underwater noise pollution because it generally has low levels of background-noise, meaning that sounds can travel further and the region’s marine species are not used to living in a noisy environment. As a result, even small increases in noise levels can have profound impacts in the region. Yet, the growth of noise pollution in the Arctic has been anything but small, with increasing vessel traffic expected to quadruple underwater noise in the region by 2030. Thus, the new research in npj Acoustics highlights the growing risk of underwater noise pollution on the Arctic’s ecosystem. Although underwater sounds are typically associated with ships, offshore machinery, and other maritime activities, the study reveals that a range of sources on land and in the air are also contributors to ocean noise pollution in the Arctic. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to noise is essential to more effectively protect the region’s unique marine life. (International Fund for Animal Welfare, Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment, World Wildlife Fund)

US Releases Maritime Action Plan, Includes Arctic Focus

As reported by High North News on February 24, the Trump administration has released a new maritime strategy, titled America’s Maritime Action Plan, which includes a section on the Arctic. The plan calls for a sustained US presence in Arctic waters by maintaining continuous access through US Coast Guard (USCG) patrols, improving communications and navigation infrastructure, and coordinating with allies. The strategy also outlines the need for investments in critical capacities, such as ports, logistics hubs, and search and rescue, to support projected increases in Arctic traffic. (High North News)

Take 2: The new maritime strategy’s strong emphasis on the need to actively and continuously secure the US’s Arctic waters is a critical development in US policy. Central to the action plan is the role of an expanded US Coast Guard icebreaker fleet, which would provide access and ensure a sustained US presence in the High North. US policymakers have long stressed the importance of growing the US’s icebreaking capabilities, but the new plan indicates that those ambitions may finally be close to fruition. Over the last decade, efforts to replace and modernize the USCG’s polar icebreaking fleet with new heavy and medium icebreakers—which are called Polar (PSC) and Arctic Security Cutters (ASC), respectively—have faced multiple delays and setbacks. For instance, the first PSC, which was projected to be delivered in 2024, is now not expected before 2030. In response, the US has taken steps to alleviate acquisition challenges, particularly through the ICE Pact, which promotes the joint development and production of icebreakers with Canada and Finland. As a result, the USCG has now completed contract awards for 11 ASCs, with the first expected to be delivered in 2028. Thus, as the US continues to overcome hurdles in expanding its icebreaker capabilities, the new maritime plan sends a strong signal that the US is preparing for a more assertive role in the region. (Congressional Research Service, US Coast Guard, US Department of Homeland Security)

Lapland Scraps Proposed Health Cuts

As reported by Eye on the Arctic on February 24, Lapland’s regional council decided to preserve three health services that were being considered for closure or reduced service, with the council voting to maintain the inpatient ward in Muonio, the health center in Karesuvanto, and 24-hour emergency care in Ivalo. The proposed changes to the three health services stemmed from a legal requirement for health service counties to eliminate budget deficits by the end of 2026 and reflected savings programs across Finland’s health sector. The proposed measures were strongly opposed by the Sami Parliament in Finland. (Eye on the Arctic)

Take 3: The Lapland regional council’s decision to maintain the three health services is an important success for the area’s local and Indigenous communities. As Sami leaders in the region warned, the proposed cuts would have increased travel times, reduced access to care in the Sami languages, and weakened overall community health. The situation underscores the importance of preserving access to healthcare in the High North, especially culturally sensitive care. Aggressive policies of assimilation perpetrated against the Sami and other Arctic Indigenous communities have contributed to lasting trauma, and many Sami continue to face discrimination in the healthcare sector. Sami patients have expressed that they feel deprioritized, misunderstood, powerless, and less valued than non-Indigenous patients. Additionally, although the Sami have unique health needs, they are usually presented with standardized systems of care developed for the majority population, often resulting in a poorer quality of service. This historical and current discrimination can lead to lower health outcomes and erode trust in healthcare services, pushing some to avoid seeking help. Therefore, there is a clear health equity gap between Sami and non-Sami people. While the council’s actions have prevented this gap from widening further, Finland’s health system continues to face pressure to reduce services. As Finland weighs more changes to its health service, it must consider the Sami perspective to prevent greater marginalization. (International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Learning Cycle Collective, Non-discrimination Ombudsman of Finland, Norwegian Institute of Public Health)

Sea Ice Loss Linked to Changing Monsoons in India

As reported by Earth.com on February 24, scientists at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) have found that Arctic sea ice loss may be impacting the intensity and location of monsoons. Using climate data from 1979 to 2022, the researchers observed that lower sea ice extent in early summer was associated with increased rainfall in western and northwestern India. The scientists were also able to use climate models to replicate the observed patterns, indicating that declining sea ice may be driving systemic changes in the South Asian monsoon season, contributing to stronger and westward-expanding storms. (Earth.com)

Take 4: The new IITM study draws attention to the interconnectedness of the region to other parts of the world and the critical role of the Arctic in regulating the global climate system. Increasing temperatures are driving dramatic environmental shifts in the Arctic that not only impact the region but also have far-reaching consequences on people and places outside the High North. Research has suggested that sea ice loss is making winters colder in East Asia, intensifying polar vortices in North America, and leading to more persistent weather across the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to meteorological phenomena, Arctic changes can have broader environmental effects. Rising sea levels from melting sea ice and glaciers threaten coastal communities worldwide, especially small island states. Large-scale Arctic habitat loss has also contributed to the decline of many migrating bird species that breed in the Arctic but spend winter in the tropics. However, the link between the Arctic and other regions is not a one-way street, and many outside pressures, such as carbon emissions, microplastics, and chemical pollution, have had profound consequences for the region. These examples, along with the new IITM research, emphasize that what happens in the Arctic matters for the rest of the world, and vice versa. Therefore, international collaboration is essential to better understand the global implications of a changing Arctic and to successfully preserve this vital region. (Arctic Council, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Euronews, GRID-Arendal, High North News)

Trump Administration Defends EPA Ruling on Pebble Mine

As reported by the Anchorage Daily News on February 25, the Trump administration has defended a decision under the Biden administration that vetoed the Pebble Mine project near Bristol Bay, Alaska. In court filings, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) properly exercised its authority to block the proposed mine and prevent unacceptable harm to the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery, which is the largest in the world. As the case continues to be litigated, the mine’s developer, Pebble Limited Partnership, indicated that it will maintain its legal challenge against the federal government. (Anchorage Daily News)

Take 5: The DOJ’s latest court filing adds to the long legal battle over the future of the Pebble gold and copper mine in Alaska. Originally proposed in 2001, the project called for a two-mile-wide and 2,000-foot-deep open-pit mine, which would have been the largest in North America. The Pebble Mine was set to be located within the Bristol Bay watershed, a pristine and ecologically sensitive region of tundra, wetlands, rivers, and lakes that supports a multitude of species, especially sockeye salmon. Bristol Bay is the world’s most productive sockeye salmon fishery, with more than 50 million fish returning to the area each year to spawn. However, the proposed mining project was expected to generate roughly 10 billion tons of toxic waste, posing an existential threat to the region’s environment, wildlife, and people. In response, local communities mobilized to oppose the project, leading to the EPA’s Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment in 2014, which ultimately concluded that the mine would cause irreparable harm to the Bristol Bay ecosystem. Although the Pebble Mine has been repeatedly blocked, most notably after the EPA vetoed the project in 2023, it continues to challenge these decisions in court. Yet, the new filing indicates that the Trump administration plans to maintain the government’s opposition to the mine, which will hopefully bring Pebble Mine’s story closer to the end. (Natural Resources Defense Council, United Tribes of Bristol Bay, World Wildlife Fund)