The Arctic has warmed by over 3ºC, since the industrial age began. That’s twice as fast as the rest of the planet. Changes we see here are rippling across the world: sea levels are rising, and the climate systems we rely on are becoming more unstable and destructive.
There is already more oil in the world than can be safely burnt. There is simply no sane argument for the huge risk of Arctic drilling. If governments won't act, it's up to people around the world to stand up to greedy oil companies and demand Arctic protection.
When the Canadian Government gave permits letting oil companies use seismic blasting in Arctic water to hunt for oil, without properly consulting the community most affected by it, the people of Clyde River did not stand for it. They live closely with the wildlife around them, and rely on it as their food source. People around the world stood with them as they took their fight to the Supreme Court of Canada, and celebrated their victory over the oil industry.
The Khanty and Nenets people have lived along on Lake Numto in Siberia for thousands of years. Last year Surgutneftegas, a Russian oil company, set out to drill a set of wells here, despite powerful local resistance. 'This is our home, our world, our land, and we will not be given another.'
The Arctic is not a new hunting ground for oil companies - it's a wake up call. Now that there are millions of us moving the world towards clean and healthy solutions, we are stronger than ever in protecting the Arctic from destruction and showing that a better future is possible.