ARTICULATED
At 78 degrees North, Svalbard is an archipelago of islands and a haven for extraordinary wildlife, some of which I had the great fortune to encounter.
However, Svalbard is also a place undergoing extreme environmental change. Ice is retreating at an alarming rate, exposing dark patches of water or soil that absorb heat and accelerate the warming of the Arctic. Scientists predict an almost ice-free Arctic summer could arrive as early as 2035. Less ice in the Arctic could be detrimental to the wildlife that depend on it, including walruses.
At the same time, the Arctic is not exempt from becoming a dumping ground for human waste. Even in one of the most remote places on Earth, we spotted heaps of plastic pollution, and even encountered a polar bear playing with a fabric sack.
What happens here is not remote. It is a warning.
© Erika Lau 2026