Stunning images show Arctic glaciers’ dramatic retreat

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on CNN or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Photographer Christian Åslund has released new images showing the dramatic retreat of Arctic glaciers in Svalbard, Norway, comparing present-day photos with archival images from the early 20th century
• The glaciers have significantly receded, exposing bare land where thick ice once stood
• Åslund’s work, done in collaboration with Greenpeace and the Norwegian Polar Institute, highlights visible evidence of long-term climate change

🔭 The context: Åslund first documented Svalbard's glaciers in 2002, replicating historical images to raise awareness of their decline
• He returned in 2024 to reshoot the same sites, confirming further ice loss
• The Arctic has been warming faster than the global average, with recent data suggesting it may be heating four times more rapidly

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Melting Arctic glaciers contribute to global sea level rise and disrupt ocean currents, threatening ecosystems and human settlements
• Reduced sea ice also accelerates warming by lowering Earth’s reflectivity
• The changes signal irreversible shifts in the planet’s climate system, with profound global repercussions

⏭️ What's next: Scientists warn that the Arctic could see its first ice-free summer by 2050, an event not seen in 130,000 years
• This would further destabilise polar systems and hasten permafrost thawing
• Åslund believes some glaciers may completely disappear within a decade without urgent action

💬 One quote: “We wanted to show that these glaciers are not going back and forth. They are constantly being pulled back by a warming climate.” – Christian Åslund, photographer

📈 One stat: NASA reports that Arctic sea ice is shrinking by 12.2% per decade due to rising temperatures

See here detailed sustainability performance of companies like Greenpeace

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change