A wake-up call from the Arctic: What Iceland's ex-PM wants the world to learn from the melting North

First Post

06-05-2025

As Arctic temperatures rise faster than anywhere on Earth, former Iceland Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir tells Firstpost why the world can no longer afford to sideline climate change. From monsoons in India to displacement worldwide, she warns of cascading impacts — and urges urgent multilateral action in the face of deteriorating global ties read more
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, former Prime Minister of Iceland reacts during a session of the Arctic Circle India Forum held on May 3-4 in New Delhi, India. X/_Arctic_Circle
As the Arctic thaws at an alarming pace, its impact is rippling far beyond the polar circle, affecting everything from the monsoon in India to global food and water security.
For Katrín Jakobsdóttir, former Prime Minister of Iceland and a senior emissary for the Arctic Circle, this crisis is deeply personal, immediate and global.
'Yes, we see the ice is melting, we see the Icelandic glaciers melting, but we are also very acutely aware of the changes that are happening in the Arctic, which are happening a lot faster than many other places in the world,' she told Firstpost's Anmol Singla in an exclusive conversation on the sidelines of the recent Arctic Circle India Forum held in New Delhi.
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'We call it the Arctic amplification. And the problem is that this is not only affecting us who live in the Arctic or in the sub-Arctic like Iceland, but also the rest of the world.'
The science backs her concern. Arctic amplification refers to the phenomenon where the Arctic is warming at more than twice the global average due to loss of sea ice and increased heat absorption.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation, Arctic temperatures have risen by nearly 3°C since the pre-industrial era. This rapid warming disrupts jet streams and ocean currents, thereby triggering extreme weather events worldwide.
'We have been seeing remarkable evidence here at this forum, how actually climate change in the Arctic can affect glaciers in the Himalaya, the monsoon here in India, etc.
So there is a real urgency in positive climate action,' Jakobsdóttir added. 'We should do whatever we can to stop the global warming that we're seeing. It's happening quite fast now.'
Are we at the tipping point?
Despite the pace of change, Jakobsdóttir believes the worst can still be avoided. 'No, I don't think we have reached that point, but things have been happening very fast and climate action has not been fast enough,' she said.
The former Icelandic PM expressed concern over the wavering stance of the United States, a major global polluter and influencer, on climate accords.
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'The US is such an important partner when it comes to climate. So, you know, the uncertainty about their participation in the agreement is definitely not a good thing,' she remarked, alluding to the US's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration and the global unease about its future climate commitments.
Jakobsdóttir acknowledged that international climate forums are often criticised for their slow pace. 'Of course, you can criticise international collaboration for a lot of things. And I understand that. But we should not deny them,' she said.
'Multilateral collaboration has actually delivered a lot of positive results and progress for the world. Let's think about the ozone layer and how we managed to get a grip on that challenge because of multilateral collaboration.'
In anticipation of the COP30 climate summit scheduled for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil has undertaken the construction of Avenida Liberdade, a 13.2-kilometre four-lane highway cutting through protected Amazon rainforest.
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This development, intended to accommodate over 50,000 attendees, has sparked significant controversy.
Cascading effects all over the globe
Jakobsdóttir stressed the urgent need for both mitigation and adaptation. 'We need scientific collaboration. We really need all hands on deck. We need climate mitigation, but also adaptation, because already some changes are happening and that can have a huge effect,' she said.
She warned of the cascading effects: 'If climate change in the Arctic affects the monsoon here in India, that might have a severe effect on Indian agriculture and the backbone of the food production.'
"We see a growing distrust in science and even denialism when it comes to climate issues.
I think policy makers should look to science to make informed decisions and informed policies."#IndiaForum
H.E. @katrinjak, Chair, Arctic Circle Polar Dialogue; Former Prime Minister of 🇮🇸 pic.twitter.com/loj9v8l8MK — Arctic Circle (@_Arctic_Circle) May 4, 2025
This linkage is increasingly supported by research. The melting Arctic ice influences the Indian summer monsoon by altering pressure systems and oceanic patterns. In turn, this affects millions of farmers dependent on timely rainfall.
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Iceland's green model
Could Iceland serve as a model for the world? 'We have had the privilege of having a lot of green energy, which we have been using for quite a long time, long before anybody talks about climate change,' said Jakobsdóttir. 'We have the geothermal energy, we have the hydropower.'
Indeed, nearly 100 per cent of Iceland's electricity needs are met through renewable sources. The country also hosts pioneering projects in carbon capture and storage (CCS), such as CarbFix, which transforms captured CO2 into rock underground.
'We also need to think about how we can develop new technologies in carbon capturing. That won't solve the problem, but it can be one part of the solution,' she added.
The human cost
Jakobsdóttir tied the climate crisis directly to public health, human rights, and displacement.
'Climate change is also affecting our health. For example, simply new infectious diseases being spread around the world because of different weather, we're seeing droughts, floods, etc.,' she told Firstpost. 'We have more people being displaced around the world than ever since the Second World War.'
This is in line with data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, which reported that climate-related disasters displaced 32.6 million people globally in 2022.
Women in climate leadership
Highlighting gender equity in climate discussions, she remarked: 'We need more women. If we have a decision-making table where we actually have both men and women, I sincerely believe that we get better decisions.'
Jakobsdóttir has been a vocal advocate for gender-inclusive policymaking. Research from the United Nations shows that countries with higher female representation in parliament are more likely to ratify international environmental treaties.
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India and the Arctic: An emerging partnership
The conversation also touched on India's growing role in Arctic affairs. Jakobsdóttir welcomed this involvement. 'India, you know, it's the largest democracy in the world. It's a growing country. It's a growing economy. So obviously, India will play a very important role on the international stage,' she told Firspost.
India has had observer status at the Arctic Council since 2013 and operates the Himadri research station in Svalbard, Norway. Its Arctic Policy, launched in 2022, outlines scientific research, connectivity, and international cooperation as key pillars.
'What happens in the Arctic does not stay there,' she said. 'I understand very well the interest of India and Indian scientists in actually learning more about the Arctic and how we can deal with what's happening and how we can change what's happening.'
The Russia question
On geopolitics, Jakobsdóttir candidly addressed the tension within the Arctic Council following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'The Russian invasion into Ukraine has been a very challenging and an illegal invasion, a brutal invasion. And that really has limited the work of the Arctic Council for the last few years.'
Yet she suggested that India could act as a balancing force: 'It matters a lot, not only to the Arctic, but the whole globe that India takes an active part in issues that are really trans-border issues like climate, gender, etc.'
A message from the Arctic
Jakobsdóttir concluded with a powerful call to listen to those who live closest to the crisis. 'There are people living in the Arctic, the different Indigenous groups that live around the Arctic. And I think it's very important that we listen to their voices because they are really seeing the change and they have a lot of knowledge and experience that is very valuable for the rest of the world.'
Her final warning was a reminder not to lose focus: 'Climate has been a little bit sidelined in the last few years in the international debate, but it hasn't gone away. So, we need to really do everything we can in collaboration to tackle that crisis.'
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Also Read | India's Arctic ambitions: Milind Deora advocates for climate awareness & strategic engagement
Firstpost attended the recently concluded Arctic Circle India Forum held in New Delhi, India on May 3-4, 2025. Co-hosted by the Arctic Circle and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), in collaboration with India's Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Earth Sciences, the event brought together global leaders, scientists and policymakers to discuss 'The Polar Order: The Arctic and Asia | Science - Geopolitics - Climate - Business.'
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