PROTECT AMERICA'S ARCTIC

The ecological and climate impacts from drilling in America’s Arctic will not remain in the Arctic: Research suggests that even temporary changes in Arctic sea ice can have significant effects on the atmosphere, which may, in turn, have downstream consequences for the weather in other parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Together, the Western Arctic and the Arctic Refuge represent an opportunity to ensure that lands, water, and wildlife can thrive in a climate resilient future – protecting these landscapes is not only about what is at stake today, but what we risk for future generations if we fail to do so.

These landscapes are ground zero for climate change; where temperatures are rising at four times the rate of the rest of the planet. Any oil and gas development will only accelerate climate impacts – not only in the Arctic, but across the entire planet. The permafrost in these landscapes is an effective storage container for carbon, which is already at risk of release as temperatures continue to warm and permafrost begins to thaw. Drilling for oil on these sensitive landscapes will compound devastating climate impacts, allowing for the exposure of carbon emissions, worsening climate pollution, and harming communities already bearing the brunt of a changing climate.

We must preserve the unparalleled biodiversity of this region, to meet global climate commitments, and to safeguard the rights of the Indigenous Peoples who have relied on these lands, water, and wildlife to support their way of life for millennia.