Cold enviro 3

• What are the challenges of development in Svalbard


  Extreme temperatures, accessibility, construction and services
• How low can winter temperatures in Longyearbyen fall to


  below -30C
• How do people dress for the extreme temperatures of Svalbard

  Several layers of thick clothes, gloves, socks, boots

  Many warm windproof layers
• When does most building, construction and maintenance happen in Svalbard

  During the summer
• How has the warming climate affected construction in Svalbard


  Permafrost has thawed so the ground is unstable, homes are slowly sinking and becoming damaged
• What percent of Longyearbyen's population have had to evacuate due to the risk of avalanches


  10%
• Why are pipes connected above ground


  To prevent water and sewage from freezing but to also stop the heated water from melting the ice if it were underground
• What does thaw mean


  Ice/ snow become liquid or soft as a result of warming up

  -Permafrost
• How can Svalbard be accessed

  Svalbard can only be accessed by plane from Norway or Russia or by boat

  Boat is difficult due to sea ice in winter
• How does the limited transport affect the country


  Difficult to transport goods and residents who need to leave for healthcare will struggle to receive immediate care
• How much road is in Longyearbyen

  Only 50km of road
• How can you travel to other communities

  Travel by boat in the summer and snowmobile in the winter
• Why are pipes raised above the ground

  Allow for easy maintenance and prevent thawing of the permafrost
• Why are cold environments fragile?


  -Tundra vegetation takes a long time to become established

  -can easily be damaged by human activities

  -Minor developments (building a footpath) can have serious long term effects

  -Tundra is very fragile if one is affected they all are
• Example of fragility of tundra environments

  Off road vehicle damage

  -Off- road vehicle driving can be for hunting or travelling to remote areas to walk or fish

  -most often takes place in summer when the snow has melted

  -means the upper part of the soil is soggy

  - a single vehicle creates deep tyre tracks

  -can take decades for the land to recover from damage
• How can cold environments be harmed by economic development


  -they have rich reserves of oil, gas and gold=mining destroys environments

  -oil and gas are in high demand as a source of energy and countries are keen to exploit their resources for economic benefit

  -to extract their resources, roads have to be built through forests and across the tundra

  -houses have to be built