Earth Equity News

Scientists and Indigenous Reps Convene on Melting Arctic. By Stephen Leahy, IPS, December 14, 2008. "Nearly 1,000 scientists and representatives of indigenous peoples from 16 countries have braved a major winter storm to share their findings and concerns about the rapidly warming Arctic region at the International Arctic Change conference, Dec. 9-12, in Quebec City. The Arctic is 'ground zero' for climate change, with temperatures rising far faster than anywhere else on the planet. Some predict an ice-free summer Arctic in less than five to 10 years -- the first time the Arctic Ocean will be exposed to the sun in many hundreds of thousands of years. The speed of change has scientists scrambling to understand the impacts on indigenous people, wildlife and ecology."