During a month spent in Greenland - the world’s largest island, located in the chilly North Atlantic Ocean - Tomorrow's Air Artist Paul Zizka and his team led photography workshops that included one of the most stunning aurora displays the experienced group had ever witnessed along with the heaviest rain event Greenland had seen in 40 years.
On a foray to western Greenland on assignment for Destination Arctic Circle and Visit Greenland, Zizka says a highlight was a traverse of the spectacular Inussuit Tasersuat Lake in a kayak on a calm morning surrounded by towering peaks, glaciers, and their reflections.
When raindrops like those in the rain event Zizka and his team witnessed splat down, they create little craters, melting adjacent snow crystals. Multiplied across thousands of square miles, they can trigger widespread melting and runoff. Meltwater runoff has increased 50% since the start of the industrial era and continues to accelerate. As more water runs off the ice sheet, it drives sea level rise, putting new pressure on coastal communities around the world. The more sea ice that melts, the more we find open water and warmer air temperatures, which cause more evaporation, priming the atmosphere for… more rain.
Luckily there are actions we can take to help break the cycle. Learn how you can help along with more about Zizka's project and how his work supports climate education and carbon removal at Tomorrow’s Air in our blog.