Arctic Coast Erodes up to Eight Metres a Year

Melting ice cover, revealing soft permafrost unable to withstand ceaseless waves, is thought to be responsible for lost ground.

Some regions of the Arctic coastline are eroding by as much as eight metres a year, according to a 30-researcher, 10-country study. On average, the coast retreats by about a half-metre a year, most likely due to melting ice that leaves the soft permafrost exposed to erosion caused by the constant waves. The worst-affected regions include the coasts of the Northwest Territories and Yukon, as well as Alaska's Beaufort Sea. All told, a third of the world's oceanic coastlines are in the Arctic. The study's authors say the retreat could severely alter fragile ecosystems found in Arctic river deltas, as well as the traditional hunting and fishing practices of the peoples that populate them.