As tourists flock to Greenland to enjoy its stunning icebergs and natural beauty, authorities are considering how to control the crowds to protect the fragile environment already threatened by global warming.
“It’s a dream destination,” said Yves Gleyze, a seasoned French tourist in his 60s, upon arrival at Ilulissat airport.
The visitor to the third largest city in the Danish autonomous region encounters a rugged, barren landscape of gray rock and sparse vegetation.
But after a short drive, there are fascinating views of huge icebergs.
The majestic blocks of ice breaking off from the Ilulissat Glacier in the neighboring fjord drift slowly by in Disko Bay and the occasional whale appears.
The postcard views attracted 50,000 tourists in 2021, more than 10 times the city’s population.
More than half only make a short pit stop during an Arctic cruise.
Numbers are expected to swell with the opening of an international airport over the next two years, a welcome boost to the island’s revenue but also a challenge given its fragile – and melting – ecosystem.
– ‘Icebergs are getting smaller’ –
According to a recent scientific study, the Arctic has warmed almost four times faster than the rest of the planet over the past 40 years.
“Every day we see changes caused by climate change: the icebergs are getting smaller, the glacier is retreating,” said Mayor Palle Jeremiassen.
Thawing permafrost also threatens the stability of some buildings and infrastructure.
As the pristine landscape so coveted by tourists changes, officials are determined to protect it without turning tourists away.
“We want to control the arrival of tourist ships here,” said Jeremasse, pointing out the risks posed by the heavily polluting ships.
To protect the environment and the community, Ilulissat should only welcome “a maximum of one ship per day and a maximum of a thousand tourists per ship,” he said.
Recently, three cruise ships arrived on the same day and dumped 6,000 visitors.
Jeremiassen said the city’s infrastructure was not designed to accommodate such a number, nor could it ensure tourists respect protected areas, particularly in the fjord.
Nearby Iceland, where the tourism industry has thrived for two decades, is an example of what not to do, he stressed.
“We don’t want to be like Iceland. We don’t want mass tourism. We want to control tourism here. That is the key we must find.”
– Small fish –
Greenland has enjoyed self-government since 2009 but hopes to one day gain full independence from Denmark.
To do this, she would have to do without subsidies from Copenhagen, which currently make up a third of her budget. It has yet to find a way to be financially self-sufficient, and right now its most important natural resource is the sea.
In Ilulissat, one in three locals makes a living from fishing, which accounts for most of Greenland’s income.
But climate change is having a big impact.
“When I was young we had pack ice to walk on,” said Lars Noasen, the captain of a tourist boat, as he deftly navigated among iceberg debris in Disko Bay.
“Now the pack ice isn’t that solid. You can’t use it for anything anymore, you can’t go dog sledding and fishing on the ice like you used to.”
According to Danish Arctic researchers, Greenland’s massive ice cap has lost 4.7 trillion tons of ice over the past two decades, alone contributing to a 1.2 centimeter rise in sea level.
The receding ice has affected fishermen.
“The ice conditions are changing. The main fjord used to be closed off by huge icebergs and sea ice, and they (the fishermen) couldn’t sail in before,” said Sascha Schiott, a researcher at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources.
Boats can also now go fishing all year round, which has increased fishermen’s catches.
But the size of the fish they catch has decreased, largely due to overfishing, Schiott says.
Ejner Inusgtuk, a gruff-faced fisherman preparing his lines in port, disagreed, saying climate change was to blame.
“The climate is too warm.”
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