- New research by an international team of scientists has found that Arctic regions are facing unprecedented climate conditions
- Study has found that extreme weather events have become more common over the past 30 years, threatening plants and animals
- Findings show hotspots for extreme weather events are Western Scandinavia, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Central Siberia
- Damage from extreme weather can also affect the livelihoods of Arctic people such as reindeer herders and may also harm the ability of the Arctic to absorb carbon and slow climate change.
Extreme weather events have become significantly more common in the Arctic over recent decades, posing a threat to vital polar ecosystems, according to new research by an international team of scientists.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests the Arctic has entered a new era of extreme weather with likely severe consequences for plants, animals and humans living in the region.
Led by researchers from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, with an international team including the University of Sheffield, the study is the first to comprehensively examine long-term changes to the Arctic's bioclimate - climate conditions that affect living organisms.
The scientists investigated changes spanning more than seven decades, focusing especially on climate conditions relevant to living organisms. The team found that in addition to rising average temperatures, Arctic ecosystems are increasingly experiencing a range of extreme weather events, such as prolonged heatwaves, frost during the growing season, and warm winter spells. The extent and intensity of these changes vary across different parts of the Arctic.
