For the oil industry, this could be good news. Less sea ice would open trans-arctic shipping routes and create easier offshore development. For subsistence users and the fishing industry, the changes would pose a different set of concerns. Altering fish and wildlife habitats could affect population, range and availability of harvests. As scientists try to build a model of what the Arctic's future climate might be like, they are also modeling the future of science.
Polar regions play an essential role in the processes affecting the world's climate.
The documentary was funded by the National Science Foundation through UAF's Center for Global Change.