The coast of Vise Island in the Kara Sea is being destroyed at a tremendous rate due to climate change; over the past seven years, in some places it has retreated by more than 70 meters, which can be considered a world anti-record, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Russia.
“The shores of Vize Island have been destroyed before, this is a natural process. However, if in the 50s of the last century polar explorers observed an average rate of coastal retreat per year of 1.5 meters, then according to satellite images from 2009 to 2016, the coast retreated at this point by 74 meters. The increase in speed is impressive,”says the glaciologist Alexander Aleinikov, who made this discovery while preparing materials for the creation of a federal wildlife reserve on the island of Vise.
As the Foundation notes, such rapid changes are primarily associated with the erosion of coastlines by sea waves, which are composed of permafrost rocks. And the wave effect is directly related to the number of days in the summer season when there is open water around the island, free of ice. Analysis of Landsat satellite images over the past years has revealed an increase in the open water period associated with general climate warming. Thus, the satellite image dated July 15, 2016 shows that floating ice in the water area of Vize Island is completely absent.
“Earlier it was believed that the highest rate of coastal destruction in Russia and in the world is on the New Siberian Islands, which retreat in places by 5-15 meters per year, and sometimes by 20 meters after one strong storm. It is likely that on the island of Vise, the rate of coastal destruction is even higher. It is necessary to continue monitoring,”comments Oksana Lipka, coordinator of the WWF-Russia Climate and Energy Program.
As the fund recalls, the Arctic is warming about twice as fast as the Earth's average, which opens up new prospects for its development. The Northern Sea Route will be used more actively, its route will move to the north, since there will be less ice in the ocean, more active mining will begin, new facilities will be built, and infrastructure will develop.
“Already now it is necessary to preserve the most valuable natural territories, which will play an important role in the preservation of the biological diversity of the Kara Sea during its economic development. Vize Island, as well as the nearby Ushakov Island, are key habitats for polar bears and Atlantic walrus in the Russian Arctic. It is important to complete work on the creation of an integrated nature reserve here as soon as possible,”WWF believes.