ARCTIC

This exhibition focuses on the unique nature of the Arctic, its fascination, fragility and the rapid changes taking place in the Arctic regions. The clearly visible and measurable effects of climate change, as well as the geopolitical shifts these have led to, have placed the Arctic at the center of global attention. This exhibition discusses the many facets and roles of this unique ecosystem from a range of perspectives. It shows that the Arctic's crucial global role means today it is more closely connected than ever to all our lives.

The Arctic is a place of low temperatures, ice, long polar nights and the fascinating midnight sun. Not all ice is the same – it comes in many forms. The gigantic Greenland ice sheet, the ice covering the sea, and the seemingly endless permafrost share a common fate: they are disappearing. To the north of the Arctic Circle, the land masses of Europe, Asia, and North America frame the Arctic Ocean. This smallest ocean in the world is at particular risk. Over the last four decades its ice has shrunk by more than 40% in area and up to 80% in volume. This massively reduces its important cooling effect on the global climate, which in turn threatens the fragile balance of life within the sea ice and poses a serious danger to the Arctic ecosystem as a whole.

The Arctic is warming almost four times faster than the rest of the world. How long can Arctic ecosystems, which are adapted to cold and ice, withstand these changes? The ice continues to retreat further and further, with the ice cover growing thinner and forming later every year. This reduces the habitat of all animals and plants that need the ice, be it for food, rest or as a place to nurture their young. Walruses become stranded in huge numbers on the shore; hungry polar bears scavenge for food in rubbish dumps. For the Inuit, the sea ice is a "wonderful garden" from which they can harvest everything they need to live. But as the ice retreats, food webs are changing, natural habitats are shifting, and the oceans are becoming increasingly acidic due to rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Tundra is being displaced as forests advance north. Forest fires and bush fires are becoming more frequent in summer, devastating vast swathes of land. Thawing permafrost is dramatically changing the Arctic landscape. The resulting release of greenhouse gases accelerates global warming even further.

Around four million people currently live in the Arctic. They are members of the indigenous population, come from nearby countries, or have moved here from all over the world. These changes to the environment have a direct impact on them. The global thirst for raw materials and new transport routes has long had the Arctic region in its sights. Let us hope that the vision of a peaceful Arctic will not melt away like the ice floes of the Arctic Ocean.

Austria’s relationship with the Arctic dates back 150 years. It was in November 1873 that the members of the First Austro-Hungarian North Polar Expedition, also known as the Payer-Weyprecht Expedition, discovered Franz Josef Land and became the first people to set foot on it. Zoological objects brought back from this trip still feature in the NHM Vienna collections today. Carl Weyprecht drew on his experiences from the expedition in developing key theses for modern Arctic research. His work also formed the basis for the first International Polar Year, held in 1882-1883. Austria took part with its own research station on the island of Jan Mayen.

Today the Austrian Polar Research Institute (APRI) coordinates the country’s research and international cooperation in polar sciences. In collaboration with the University of Graz, it is in the process of establishing Austria’s first permanent polar research station in East Greenland. As a project partner of the NHM Vienna, the APRI has been closely involved in developing this exhibition which gives scientists a platform to talk about their research. In this age of global connectivity, the Arctic is no longer on the other side of the planet but right on our doorstep – at least in a virtual sense. Suddenly, what happens in the Arctic is very relevant to us all.