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Showing posts from February, 2023

Choking on Haze: A Crisis in the Strait of Malacca

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The Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest maritime traffic routes, is facing a myriad of challenges due to haze caused by the natural and man-made fires in Indonesia’s dry Sumatran Forest. The impact of this thick haze is two-fold in the region surrounding the Strait; first is the marine traffic incidents on the shipment route and the second is the negative impacts on the marine ecology, both of which have been insufficiently studied.   The Strait of Malacca is 800 km long and 65-250 km wide shipping route between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It links three of the world's most populous nations: India, Indonesia and China. Being the shortest shipping channel between the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean), it is one of the world’s busiest maritime traffic routes. The Strait is used by more than 400 shipping lines, linking over 700 ports worldwide, for transshipment (Dryad Global). Over 60,000 ships p

India’s Arctic Foray: Enhancing the Clean Energy Engagement

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The recently introduced Arctic Policy 2022 paves a way for India to enhance its activities related to research and development in the Arctic region, diversify its energy needs as well as join the fight against climate change. India’s emergence into the Arctic creates a ray of hope for the neighbouring South Asian countries that look up to India for leadership in the field of polar exploration and research. India’s presence in the Arctic will also increase the presence of stakeholders in the region promoting greater exploration of the region.     Image source: Unsplash Introduction The challenge of climate change is approaching human society faster than estimated earlier. In 2022, the Finnish Meteorological Institute published that the Arctic is heating up four times faster and the existing climate models may not be able to accurately predict the real pace of the change (The Hindu, 2022). The unpredictability of climate change in the Arctic is a cause of concern for the world and for

Cracking the Debate: The Conflict over Snow Crab Harvesting

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A legal fight is underway between Norway and a Latvian company over the snow crabs of the Arctic Archipelago. Norway’s Supreme Court is hearing a case on the issue of whether Latvian trawlers can catch snow crabs in the strategically significant Svalbard Archipelago in the Arctic.        Image Source: Wikipedia Introduction The Svalbard Archipelago, located in the Arctic Ocean, is home to a variety of unique and fascinating creatures. Among these, the snow crab stands out as a particularly intriguing species. Snow crabs, also known as Chionoecetes opilio , are a type of crab that can be found in the cold waters around the Svalbard islands. These crabs are well adapted to living in the harsh Arctic environment and have become an important part of the local ecosystem. With their distinctive appearance and interesting behaviors, snow crabs are a fascinating subject for researchers and nature enthusiasts alike. Even on the economic side, considered a type of ‘Arctic Gold’, these crea

Breaking Records: The Antarctic Sea Ice Extent Hits an All-time Low

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By SaGHAA Team In 2021, Antarctic sea ice retreated sooner than anticipated starting from early September but the negative anomalies became larger until mid-November and changed little until mid-December, and sea ice extent rapidly decreased exceeding two standard deviations of the climatology on 8 February. Compared to 2017, the SIE in 2022 had a slower recovery in late February, leading to the new record minimum. Introduction Antarctic sea ice is a vital component of the Earth's climate system, playing a crucial role in regulating the planet's temperature and influencing ocean currents. In recent years, scientists have observed a record low in sea ice extent (SIE) in the Antarctic raising concerns about its potential impacts on the environment and the organisms that rely on it. In this article, we will delve into the latest research concerning the decline of Antarctic Sea ice and the factors causing it.                 Image Source: Flickr   The Meltdown: Status of Anta