The Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Zones of the Arctic and the High North

Climate change is expected to significantly impact the Arctic region and northern latitudes where NATO countries, NATO partners, and NATO adversaries operate. Arctic warming is occurring about 2 to 4 times faster than the global average, and warming is predicted to accelerate in the years ahead. The Arctic’s coastal zones are particularly susceptible to climate change, and this change is both regionally and globally significant. Nearly 15% of all shorelines in the world are in the Arctic, and the Arctic Ocean has nearly 20% of the world’s continental shelf space even though it makes up only 1% of the global ocean. This article examines how climate change affects coastal areas in the Arctic and how it can influence operations for organizations like NATO that rely on large equipment in these frigid – but warming- environments.