Glaciers: Svalbard Flashcards
What’s the location of Svalbard?
located in Northern Europe (between Norway and the North Pole). Known for remote terrain of glaciers and tundra, sheltering polar bears, reindeer and artic foxes. The Artic ocean. Summer brings sunlight of 24 hours a day. Average temp of 5-6 in summer and -16 in winter. About 60% of ground is covered in ice, 30% is barren and 10% is vegetation.
How is coal mining an opportunity for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
has a significant amount of coal and coal mining is the main economic activity on the island, once employing over 300 people.
How is energy an opportunity for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
- a coal-fired power station in Svalbard meets the energy requirements of the island, it is one of the reasons why the carbon footprint of Svalbard residents is among the largest in Europe.
- It has potential to meet its energy needs through solar energy (in summer)
- town council made agreement with Norwegian gov to build a hydrogen power plant, which will generate clean electricity, water being the only by-product.
How is fishing an opportunity for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
the Barent sea to the South of Svalbard are some of the richer fishing grounds in the world. With 150 species of fish (cod, herring and maddock). However, storms and sea ice make fishing extremely hazardous and challenging. It also must be protected from pollution and unsustainable exploitation and overfishing is illegal. Norway and Russia jointly control and monitor the fishing practises to ensure the environment is protected.
How is tourism an opportunity for humans occupation and development in Svalbard?
- popular tourist destination and is visited regularly by cruise ships (approx 70,000 tourists visited in 2011, 30,000 of which arrived on cruise ships) and the harbour has been enlarged to accommodate large cruise ships.
- As sea ice no longer freezes around Svalbard, cruises can now stop in the winter, which has extended tourist season.
- People are attracted to the natural beauty and wildlife. Adventure tourist is a growing industry in Svalbard.
How are extreme cold temps a challenge for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
- cold temps create sea ice, which makes fishing challenging
- Coal mining can be cold working conditions, with long hours and winter darkness
- Winter temps can drop below -30, along with the limited sunlight in winter, makes working outside extremely challenging
- Roads can potentially freeze and become dangerous.
How is inaccessibility a challenges for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
- Very remote region, relying on transport such as planes and ships for access, some roads depend on crossing frozen rivers in the winter, which is dangerous.
- Locals rely on snowmobiles and 4x4s in the winter
- Coal is hard to transport due to the challenging sea conditions
How is providing buildings and infrastructure a challenge for human occupation and development in Svalbard?
- permafrost creates many challenges for this. Roads are built on raised gravel beds to reduce heat transfer, which can thaw. Many domestic services such as fresh water and sanitation have to be provided above ground in insulated utildors to minimise the risk of pipes freezing and thawing the permafrost.
- Runways painted white to reflect the energy and reduce heat.
How have people in Svalbard managed and adapted to the challenges listed above?
- people need to mitigate the hostile and potentially dangerous environmental conditions by wearing appropriate clothing and footwear.
- People with long term needs or elderly with special health requirements may need to move to the mainland Norway so can therefore access healthcare easier.
