The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we take a look at Chile’s presidential commitment to the Antarctic, reports about US intelligence gathering in Greenland, and the emergence of new Arctic coastlines as glaciers retreat.
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.
Chile affirms its Antarctic strategy for 2032
On Wednesday April 30, at Chile’s La Moneda presidential palace, Gabriel Boric Font and Chancellor Alberto van Klaveren brought together ministers for the 58th meeting of the Antarctic Policy Council. This high level of decision-making reflects the country’s strong ambition to influence Antarctic policies based on science. The formalization of mandates set the pace for discussions on the implementation of the new national Antarctic policy published in October 2024.
Since its publication, Chile has led the Estrella Polar II operation, enabling the President to travel to the South Pole using the country’s own means. Since then, the icebreaker Almirante Viel has carried out its first scientific season in Antarctica, “a national pride”, described the Head of State, also explaining that: “the 2026-2030 strategic plan must provide for Chile’s potential to manifest itself in the Antarctic Treaty, for us to consolidate our active presence in the territory, to strengthen our country’s position and in particular that of the Magallanes region.”
Among the topics on the table at La Moneda are the construction of a new scientific station (Teniente Luis Carvajal), the renovation of Glaciar Unión, and the promotion and funding of scientific action, drawing for example on the logistical resources of the defense sector and national polar operators (INACH). “In Antarctica, there is a lot to do, a lot to protect, and for this, Chile is fundamental”, stressed the President before a range of ministers (Defense, Environment, Equality, Education, Foreign Affairs). Chile’s agenda corroborates the fact that it will be stepping up its activities between now and International Polar Year 2031-2032. C.L
US Intelligence Zeroes in on Greenland, Chilling Diplomatic Waters
Reports of intensified United States intelligence gathering in Greenland on its political landscape, its independence aspirations and the people’s attitudes towards US plans for the island are causing diplomatic tremors, raising concerns over sovereignty and alliance trust.
US agencies, reportedly including the CIA and NSA, have been tasked with amassing data on Greenlandic and Danish figures and factions regarding US objectives for the island. This intelligence surge is widely viewed as part of a more offensive American posture in the Arctic towards its allies and putting in question the strength of the ties.
The news has drawn sharp rebukes. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared, “you cannot spy against an ally,” while Greenland’s Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen called the alleged espionage “unacceptable.” Denmark summoned the top US diplomat, highlighting Copenhagen’s disapproval. At the same time, US officials have condemned information leaks without denying the intelligence efforts.
The impacts are significant. Such activities risk straining ties further between the US, Denmark, and Greenland, potentially eroding NATO solidarity. Scrutiny of Greenland’s internal affairs could be seen as interference, complicating regional politics. Already, both the European Union as well as representatives from Indigenous organizations and councils have called out to Washington to respect international boundaries and the will of the majority of Greenlanders to shape their own future.
This situation underscores the tension between national security, resource pursuits, and local aspirations in a changing Arctic. As Denmark prepares to take over the chair of the Arctic Council from Norway on May 12th, this affair could further impact collaboration within the council, already strained by geopolitical issues involving Russia. M.W.
New Arctic Coasts: What Melting Glaciers Leave Behind
As glaciers retreat in the warming Arctic, they’re not just shrinking – they’re redrawing the map. A new study published in Nature Climate Change reveals that between 2000 and 2020, over 2,460 kilometers of new coastline emerged across the Northern Hemisphere, two-thirds of it in Greenland alone.
Led by glaciologist Jan Kavan from the Centre for Polar Ecology at the University of South Bohemia, Czechia, the international team analyzed over 1,500 marine-terminating glaciers to document how their retreat is reshaping adjacent coastal zones. These newborn coasts, often built from loose sediments, are among the most dynamic on Earth—highly susceptible to erosion, flooding, and slope collapse.
The implications are as vast as the new shorelines themselves. Fjords that once teemed with nutrient-rich upwellings are being altered, with potentially severe consequences for biodiversity and local food webs. The economic stakes are growing too: previously ice-covered lands are revealing mineral-rich deposits and vulnerable slopes prone to landslides and tsunamis – like the one that struck Greenland in 2023.
Regional differences matter. Deep fjords in Alaska produce long coastlines with minimal glacier area loss, while broad ice shelves in Franz Josef Land show little coastline change despite dramatic retreats. Southern Arctic Canada, with its small, narrow glaciers, demonstrates just how much even minor ice masses can transform coastal landscapes.
Some new coasts may see permafrost returning – temporarily stabilizing them – while others face long-term instability due to thawing and increased erosion. As the Arctic continues to warm, these young paraglacial coasts offer a glimpse into the future of an ice-free North – shaped by forces still poorly understood.
Kavan and his team now aim to expand their research. Next stop: eastern Greenland, where a massive landslide and tsunami in 2023 have become a testing ground for how fragile these emerging landscapes truly are. J.H.