The Central Arctic Ocean Connects us all
The Central Arctic Ocean
Our Collective Responsibility
Comprising 1.1 million square miles of international waters around the North Pole, the Central Arctic Ocean lies at the heart of the Arctic and is a global treasure requiring international protection. What happens here won’t just affect the animals and communities that rely on this region—it matters for the whole world.
Emerging Threats
The Arctic is warming four times faster than other parts of the planet, which is setting off cascading changes to Arctic wildlife, creating great uncertainty for people living in the Arctic, and increasing extreme weather events further south. One of the biggest changes facing this region is the lack of sea ice. Until recently, the Central Arctic Ocean was covered in meters-thick sea ice. But the thickness and extent of of the sea ice continues to decline: for the first time in human history, sea ice has been replaced by open water in up to 40 percent of the Central Arctic Ocean during the summers. As the sea ice decreases, new industries are pushing further into the Arctic—with potentially devastating consequences.
Deep-sea Mining: Disrupting the Sea Floor
Deep-sea mining is an untried method of mining metals from sea floors, continental crusts, and hydrothermal vents. These underwater features often contain unique biodiversity that can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. Arctic coastal states have asserted ownership of nearly all the seabed underlying the Central Arctic Ocean, which includes the mineral rights for deep sea mining. Deep sea mining would bring noise and pollution to the Central Arctic Ocean and could irrevocably damage its extraordinary ecosystems.
Credit: GRID-Arendal
Transpolar Shipping: A Route Not Ready
The Central Arctic Ocean is being discussed as a shortcut for large vessels to connect non-Arctic manufactured goods, bulk materials, and oil and gas products to distant markets. The proposed Transpolar Sea Route—which cuts across the heart of the Arctic—would bring new threats to the Central Arctic Ocean, including pollution, noise, and direct disturbance of ecosystems. In the case of accidents or spills, the severe lack of search and rescue capabilities would put workers at risk, and the lack of clean-up capability in such remote waters mean currents could spread pollution across the top of the globe
The Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement
When faced with a similar threat to the Central Arctic Ocean from the potential start of commercial fishing, the global community rallied to sign an international agreement in 2018. This ground-breaking agreement came into effect in 2021, bringing Arctic and non-Arctic states together as partners to protect the Central Arctic Ocean and serving as a model for future action.
The Central Arctic Ocean Needs a New Treaty
Cooperation (not conflict) and precaution (not poorly governed industrial experiments) are required to safeguard the Central Arctic Ocean. A new agreement that brings together Arctic and non-Arctic nations is needed to ensure science, Indigenous Knowledge, and good governance can lead the way in determining the future of this special sea. It is essential that this agreement:
