Faculty Associate Adriana Craciun Authors Article on Arctic Greening for The Conversation

Adriana Craciun, Emma MacLachlan Metcalf Chair of Humanities and a Faculty Associate at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, recently authored an article exploring “Arctic Greening” — the phenomenon where land once covered by ice is being colonized by plants — in Greenland.

While 95% of Greenland remains covered by ice, the other 5% of the landmass is becoming greener, with tundra vegetation growing taller and new plants and insects moving farther north. But this rapid greening creates negative feedback loops, as tree and shrub growth accelerates permafrost thaw, releasing underground greenhouse gases and accelerating global warming. Craciun explains that, for many Greenlanders, the greening of their land symbolizes autonomy and resistance to colonial legacies. However, Greenland’s evolving relationship with its landscape presents both opportunities and challenges. Read the full article here.

Prof. Craciun is the co-convenor of The Arctic Environmental Humanities Workshop Series, a collaboration between the Pardee Center and the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge. The series brings together the diverse expertise of humanistic scholars, scientists, social scientists, and artists for a series of virtual presentations and conversations about Arctic issues. Learn more here.