Arctic Indigenous Maritime Access
A Science Diplomacy Approach
Coastal Arctic Indigenous communities depend upon maritime services. Maritime accessibility, upon which survival depends, turns on ice and infrastructure conditions. This project will integrate Indigenous and scientific knowledge with diplomacy to support decision making of the Greenlandic government and enhance the sustainability of coastal Greenlandic settlements faced with the massive impacts of climate change.
West Greenland Field Expedition
In June 2024, a field expedition in West Greenland was conducted aboard the sailing vessel ArcticEarth. The expedition members, led by UMaine Climate Change Institute Director Dr. Paul Mayeski, included postdoctoral researcher Mariuz Potocki, graduate students Ligia Naveira and Cory Limberger, and EMT medic Alex Kuli. The team’s goal was to collect water samples to define a baseline to help Greenlanders track and understand future human impact in the area.