The below letter asks the incoming Biden Administration to appoint the first-ever U.S. “Arctic Ambassador” to the Arctic Council as part of its emphasis on climate change, especially given the rapid changes all of us are seeing in the Arctic and other polar regions; and knowing the impact this is having and will have globally.

It is open for signature by any and all U.S.-affiliated Arctic and polar scientists, including in the social sciences. This includes any interested doctoral students — because you are the future, and will be dealing with the impacts of Arctic climate change throughout your lives, as well as your professional careers.

Signers do so in a personal capacity, not representing their university or other institution; but there is the opportunity to check whether you wish an institutional or other affiliation to be shown together with your signature.  For a twice-daily updated list of signatures, see: http://bit.ly/3mjZfQw

Signing will close, and the letter be transmitted as of midnight Tuesday PST, December 22, 2020; but if you are seeing this message any later, it will re-open for additional signatures after that date. Questions may be directed to Dr. Heidi Sevestre at heidi@iccinet.org, Dr. Julie Brigham-Grette at juliebg11@gmail.com, Dr. Twila Moon at twila.science@gmail.com, or Dr. Christina Schaedel at chschaedel@gmail.com.

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Dear President-Elect Biden, Secretary-Designate Blinken and Special Envoy for Climate Kerry-

As Arctic and polar scientists, we are alarmed by the rapid changes from global warming that we see today in the Arctic. Accelerating impacts from these changes are not limited to Alaska, but stretch across the United States and the globe.

Arctic seas are quickly acidifying and stronger marine heat waves threaten U.S. fisheries and the entire Arctic ecosystem. Arctic sea ice continues to disappear at a stunning rate, disrupting weather patterns in the continental U.S.: more persistent heat waves and cold spells, prolonged stormy periods, and extended droughts that greatly worsen Western wildfires. Permafrost thaw is now releasing carbon at the same scale as many larger nations, while intensified wildfires in Arctic forests and peatlands release even more. Rising sea levels from melting glaciers and polar ice sheets have accelerated clear-day flooding and storm damage, especially along U.S. Eastern and Gulf coasts.  

The science is clear: changes already underway in the Arctic from climate change threaten not just the Arctic, but all of us, everywhere. Many, if not most of the impacts are irreversible on any human time scale. Immediate action is required to reduce our carbon emissions. The urgency of the threat from a disintegrating Arctic, and your clear commitment to base policy decisions on science, must be reflected at all levels of U.S. government engagement in the Arctic.

We urge you to stress the importance of this region to the climate crisis by announcing, at the same time as you re-join the Paris Agreement, the appointment of the first U.S. Arctic Ambassador to the Arctic Council: one with a strong climate mandate. This will help to repair frayed U.S. diplomatic ties; express renewed U.S commitment to address climate change in the Arctic and everywhere through intensified cooperation with some of our closest Arctic Council allies; and link our strong research capabilities with necessary action.

All seven other Council Members have long been represented at the Council by Senior Arctic Officials (SAOs) of ambassadorial rank.  It is well past time the U.S. joined them, and re-joined Council efforts on Arctic climate change.