Overview

• Between May 15 and 21, Greenland’s ice sheet melted at a rate 17 times higher than the 1980–2010 average and Iceland recorded unprecedented May highs above 26°C.
• A report by World Weather Attribution and commentary from Imperial College London confirm that human-driven greenhouse gas emissions made the heatwave virtually impossible under natural climate conditions.
• Scientists warn that the influx of freshwater from accelerated ice melt could slow the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and intensify weather extremes across the Northern Hemisphere.
• Thawing permafrost and rapid ice loss have disrupted traditional hunting routes and damaged infrastructure in Greenland, threatening the livelihoods of indigenous communities.
• Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen dismissed President Trump’s comments about acquiring the island against growing geopolitical interest in its mineral and energy resources.