The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at French President’s trip to Nuuk, record-breaking Arctic heat, and a new view on an famous Polar wreck.
The Polar Retrospective is a collaborative effort by the editorial team of polarjournal.net. Each writer chooses a topic they found interesting and important in the past week. The initials at the end of each section indicate the author. We hope you enjoy it.
Emmanuel Macron visits Greenland
Emmanuel Macron visited Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday June 25, the first symbolic stop on his trip to the G7 summit in Canada.
Invited by the Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers, the French president declared his solidarity with the island’s inhabitants and its European ally, in response to Donald Trump’s statements on the wished annexation of the territory.
The program included a visit to an emblematic glacier, a hydroelectric power station financed by the European Union, and discussions on Arctic security aboard the frigate Niels Juel.
The trip is accompanied by a strengthening of military ties. Denmark recently confirmed the purchase of French surface-to-air missiles, to reinforce its defense in this area.
In his speech, the President sent a clear message to Washington to “respect the territorial integrity” of Greenland. This gesture is intended to demonstrate European unity and support for its allies. C.L
Record May Temperatures in Iceland and Greenland Threaten Arctic Ecosystems and Livelihoods
In mid-May, Iceland and Greenland experienced an exceptional heatwave that shattered national records. At Egilsstaðir Airport in East Iceland, temperatures hit 26.6 °C – the country’s highest May temperature ever recorded. On Greenland’s east coast, Ittoqqortoormiit measured 14.3 °C, more than 13 degrees above the seasonal average. A persistent southerly airflow, caused by a high-pressure system near the Faroe Islands and a low south of Cape Farewell, sustained the heat for over a week.
While similar weather patterns have occurred before, this event stood out for its early timing and unusual intensity. A new attribution study finds that climate change made the Icelandic heatwave about 3 °C hotter and roughly 40 times more likely. In the pre-industrial climate, such extremes would have been virtually impossible.
Although few immediate impacts were reported, the consequences for cold-adapted ecosystems and communities are serious. In Iceland, roads became dangerously soft due to bitumen melt. In Greenland, the premature breakup of sea ice disrupted hunting and fishing activities and posed risks to food security, mobility, and local knowledge systems. These changes are compounded by broader ecological shifts: as Arctic waters warm, fish populations are on the move — cod and mackerel are expanding, while cold-water species like halibut and shrimp retreat northward, threatening livelihoods. More seaweed growth and reduced local fodder have even forced some Greenlandic farmers to import hay from Iceland.
Infrastructure in both countries is built for cold, not heat. In remote areas of Greenland, poor sanitation, combined with rising temperatures and thawing permafrost, raises public health risks. During a similar event in 2022, melting permafrost led to metal contamination in lakes, affecting drinking water quality.
Iceland is currently developing national adaptation plans, while Greenland is only beginning to address extreme heat as a public health concern. As global warming accelerates, events like this are set to become more frequent and intense. In a world 2.6 °C warmer, such Arctic heatwaves could be at least twice as likely — and even hotter. J.H.
First Visuals of Scott’s Terra Nova Wreck Reveal Final Moments
For the first time since its sinking over 80 years ago, the wreck of the SS Terra Nova, the famous vessel of Captain Scott’s final Antarctic expedition, has been visually surveyed. The new findings offer a conclusive look at the ship’s condition and have brought a vibrant new ecosystem to light on the seafloor off Greenland.
A maritime archaeology team aboard the exploration yacht MY Legend recently completed the survey, building on the 2012 sonar discovery of the wreck’s location. Using a modern submersible and high-resolution imaging, the expedition has provided a detailed assessment of the historic polar vessel.
The imagery reveals that the Terra Nova sustained significant damage as it sank. The bow is split in two, and it appears the aft section of the vessel impacted the seabed first. One of the most significant new discoveries was the helm station, located near the stern — a poignant and symbolic link to the ship’s final moments according to the team.
Beyond confirming the ship’s identity and condition, the survey documented an unexpected development: the wreck has become a thriving artificial reef. The material show a rich marine ecosystem, with both soft and hard cold-water corals, and fish now colonizing the structure. This suprising discovery adds a new, ecological dimension to the legacy of the celebrated ship and its most famous expedition it had carried.
Leighton Rolley, the project leader, noted this survey answers “long-standing questions surrounding the condition and final moments of the Terra Nova,” bringing closure to a story that has long captivated polar historians. The successful visual survey expands our understanding of the Heroic Age of Exploration, adding a vital chapter alongside the recent discoveries of Shackleton’s Endurance and Quest. M.W.