Greenland town on hill covered with snow

Why Greenland’s warming landscape is fueling geopolitical tensions

The warming climate has intensified global interest in Greenland, a resource-rich island whose melting ice sheet affects global sea levels and weather patterns.

Seth Borenstein reports for Associated Press


In short:

  • Greenland’s ice sheet is melting at an accelerating rate, contributing to rising sea levels that could reshape coastlines globally.
  • Donald Trump has repeatedly and aggressively stated interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, a longtime U.S. ally and semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
  • The island holds vast deposits of rare earth minerals, natural gas and oil, making it a geopolitical focus as nations compete for access to resources.
  • Greenland’s melting ice impacts the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a crucial ocean current that regulates weather patterns across continents.

Key quote:

“If this global current system were to slow substantially or even collapse altogether — as we know it has done in the past — normal temperature and precipitation patterns around the globe would change drastically.”

— Jennifer Francis, climate scientist, Woodwell Climate Research Center

Why this matters:

The loss of Greenland’s ice could permanently alter coastlines and destabilize the climate, affecting ecosystems, agriculture and economies worldwide. As resource competition grows, Greenland is poised to play a central role in international relations.

Scales of justice with green trees and water on one side and polluting industry and smokestacks on the other.
Credit: digitalista/BigStock Photo ID: 324918955

EPA slashes key staff fighting pollution in low-income communities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is firing hundreds of staffers who worked to protect overpolluted, underserved neighborhoods, effectively gutting its environmental justice efforts.

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

Keep reading...Show less
Sunrise in the woods

Get our Good News newsletter

Get the best positive, solutions-oriented stories we've seen on the intersection of our health and environment, FREE every Tuesday in your inbox. Subscribe here today. Keep the change tomorrow.

a large body of water surrounded by mountains.

Elon Musk-linked aide gains sweeping control over U.S. Interior Department operations

A former oil executive with ties to Elon Musk now holds expansive authority to reshape operations at the Interior Department, raising alarms among conservationists and longtime federal employees.

Dino Grandoni and Maxine Joselow report for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
Clear blue water beside mountain covered with snow.

Arctic cold once defended Canada — now climate chaos threatens military readiness

A warming Arctic is complicating Canada’s military operations, with unpredictable weather destroying equipment, thwarting training, and eroding the region’s role as a natural line of defense.

Leyland Cecco reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
man in black coat standing near round logo with world flags.

World Bank tones down climate messaging as Trump allies threaten U.S. withdrawal

The World Bank has scaled back public climate advocacy as it navigates the political risks posed by President Trump’s administration and its review of U.S. involvement in global institutions.

Sara Schonhardt and Zack Colman report for POLITICO.

Keep reading...Show less
a lego man standing next to a wooden cross also made of legos.
Credit: Worshae/Unsplash

Evangelical churches in Indiana turn to solar and sustainability as an expression of faith

A growing number of evangelical churches and universities in Indiana are embracing renewable energy and environmental stewardship as a religious duty, reframing climate action through a spiritual lens.

Catrin Einhorn reports for The New York Times

Keep reading...Show less
A firetruck parked next to a hillside on fire

Lawsuits allege that insurers colluded to limit wildfire coverage and shift costs to state plan

Two lawsuits allege that major insurance companies coordinated to drop coverage in wildfire-prone California areas, pushing homeowners onto a costly, state-backed insurance plan.

Trân Nguyễn reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Two men in baseball caps, yellow shirts and shorts installing solar panels on a roof.

Solar tax credit trading brings clean energy to underserved communities — but faces political risk

A tweak in tax law that made clean energy credits transferable has helped small developers build solar and wind projects in low-income areas, but congressional Republicans may roll back the benefit as part of federal budget talks.

Syris Valentine reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.