Save the arctic

It spans eight countries, is home to more than 13 million people, and provides a habitat for truly incredible wildlife. And now, it’s the battleground for one of the most important fights in environmental history.

this far away region touches our daily lives in ways you may not realize.

And so the struggle continues. Because when it comes to protecting the Arctic, it’s about all of us.

victory when Royal Dutch Shell halted its drilling plans — leading the United States to take the Arctic Ocean off the table for oil drilling for the next two years — the fight isn’t near over

The Arctic Ocean is not safe from the dangers of oil drilling or climate change until we have long-term policies in place to keep all fossil fuels in the ground not just for two years, but forever.

global temperatures and counteracting climate change.

Here’s how it works: Arctic sea ice keeps the planet cool by reflecting sunlight. As climate change takes hold and the world gets warmer, the ice is melting and the oceans are absorbing sunlight. This makes the planet even warmer, causing the ice to melt even faster.

an increasingly attractive target for the oil industry.

That’s right — oil that was once out of reach because the Arctic was frozen is now accessible because of climate change.

million people who live there, particularly Indigenous groups. These communities depend on this environment for food and resources and have stewarded it for centuries.

The Arctic is home to more than 40 distinct ethnic and cultural groups. As it changes, so does the land of their heritage, languages and way of life. An oil spill in the region would amount to nothing less than a humanitarian crisis.

else in the world. All of them depend on sea ice to survive.

The amazing land animals that call the Arctic home include polar bears, foxes, reindeer and oxen, many of which are endangered.

from the Arctic in the next 100 years if we don’t take action soon.

And there are equally wonderful creatures living in Arctic waters. Numerous whale species, seals and walruses can only be found in the Arctic.

its people is to keep fossil fuels in the ground. This means telling all companies and governments that the Arctic Ocean — and its oil — is off limits forever.