The annual interdisciplinary collaboration between the students on the Visual Communication programme at Beckmans College of Design, researchers at the Beijer Institute / Stockholm Resilience Center and Svenskt Tenn was initiated in 2017. The collaboration aims to open up new ways for research and visual communication to interact in order to convey knowledge, both intellectually and emotionally.
Albab Rahman
Edda Eliasson
Ella Farestam
Emmy Seeger
Hanna Hedberg
Ida Ädling
Linn Sehlstedt
Mika Hyvönen
Molly Schedin
Olle Ljung
Olle Svensson
Phoebe Crookes
Stephanie Holmén
Tyra Östlund
Wilma Reichardt
Wilmer Norrby
Molly Schedin
Olle Ljung
Phoebe Crookes
Jonatan Modin
Sophia Wood
Helena Hammarskiöld
Johanna Burai
Samira Bouabana
Anne-Sophie Crépin – Beijer Institute
Juan C. Rocha – Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholms University
Caroline Schill – Beijer Institute
Henrik Österblom – The Anthropocene Laboratory, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Agneta Sundin – Beijer Institute
Thommy Bindefeld – Senior Advisor
Tora Grape – Marketing Manager
Åsa Brenner Toris – Store Curator
Lisa Nordlund – PR Manager
Lina Appelgren – Produktion Manager
Norrbacka Tryckeri
Dixa
There is No Such thing as Magic
Are We There Yet?
What's happening in the Arctic right now is part of a larger, circular context. The consequences of our actions, in turn, circle back to us. Through nature's cycles, our impact, and the polar circle that surrounds the Arctic, we highlight how everything is connected and how nothing exists in isolation. The rapid climate changes are forcing people in the Arctic to adapt in order to preserve their communities – something we all must do. With this exhibition, we visualise how different parts of the Arctic are affected by climate change – and why it matters to all of us.
What Happens In the Arctic Does Not Stay In the Arctic consists of seven interpretations of Arctic research, developed in dialogue between students at Beckmans College of Design and researchers from the Beijer Institute, in collaboration with Svenskt Tenn.
In this year's exhibition, students interpret the Beijer Institute's highly relevant research on global warming and its impact on the Arctic. The temperature in the Arctic is now rising three to four times faster than the global average, and massive amounts of ice are melting both on land and at sea. But climate change in the Arctic doesn't just disrupt global balance – it also severely affects the region's ecosystems and local populations. Many Arctic communities are already being forced to adapt to these rapid changes. There are important lessons for all of humanity to learn from the ways they are confronting this new reality.
The polar areas are warming at a faster rate than the rest of the world, and the temperature
in the Arctic is now increasing three to four times faster than the global average. As it gets
warmer, the large ice sheets on land and at sea are melting. Melting land ice causes sea
levels around the world to rise, which primarily affects low-lying countries, such as the
Netherlands in Europe, but hardest hit are small island nations in the Indian Ocean and the
Pacific Ocean. In addition, many large coastal cities across the globe run the risk of severe
flooding.
The warming oceans and the increasing amounts of freshwater from melting ice sheets can
affect the system of ocean currents known as AMOC, which includes the Gulf Stream. The
Gulf Stream is a major reason why Scandinavia enjoys a relatively mild climate despite its
northern location. Rising ocean temperatures also impact the climate in other parts of the
world, as major weather phenomena, such as the Indian monsoon rains, are part of a
complex climate system driven by pressure differences between warm and cold regions.
Ice- and snow-covered ground reflects sunlight back into space, while darker surfaces, such
as open water and bare ground, absorb more heat. This so called albedo effect further
accelerates warming — a feedback effect that amplifies climate change. Another example of
such a self-reinforcing process is the thawing of permafrost in the Arctic. As soil that has
been frozen for thousands or in places millions of years begins to thaw, large amounts of
greenhouse gases are released, including methane, a gas significantly more potent than
carbon dioxide. The more permafrost that thaws, the more greenhouse gases are emitted,
leading to even further warming.
Permafrost and ancient glacial ice also function as natural archives. By extracting deep drill
cores, researchers can obtain valuable information about the Earth's past climate as well as
the history of plant and animal life.
Climate change in the Arctic not only affects the global balance — it also severely impacts
the region’s ecosystems and local populations. Animals adapted to an ice-dominated
landscape, such as polar bears, harp seals, and walruses, are finding it increasingly difficult
to survive. Simultaneously, marine heatwaves are causing many fish species, crabs, and
other marine animals to perish, as they are unable to migrate further north. Ocean
acidification poses an additional threat, primarily affecting species lower down the food chain,
such as plankton and small crustaceans. This, in turn, has consequences for larger animals
higher up the chain, making it harder for them to find sufficient food.
For many Arctic communities, hunting and fishing are central to their livelihood and traditional
way of life. When fish stocks and game populations change, entire communities are affected.
A more unpredictable climate impacts the quality and extent of sea ice, as well as ground
conditions, which in turn affects when and where it is possible to hunt and fish. Many Arctic
communities are already having to adapt to these drastic changes. In the indigenous Iñupiat
town of Wainwright, Alaska, researchers from the Beijer Institute, in collaboration with the
inhabitants, are studying how they perceive and manage these changes. It is crucial to listen
to and learn from the communities directly experiencing the effects of climate and
environmental changes to support their needs, as well as to understand the broader lessons
for humanity of how they are coping with this new reality.
Link to the project web page: https://www.newnormal.science/
