The Arctic
Consisting of deep ocean covered by drifting pack ice and surrounded by continents and archipelagos around the Earth's North Pole, the Arctic is the planet's largest and least fragmented inhabited region.
Why the Arctic matters
A rich habitat for life
Warming faster than anywhere else in the world
Eight countries, global significance
Vast resources are becoming available
Where we work
What's new
Stories
A day in the life of a polar bear researcher
One of the great things about being a polar bear scientist is that you can only work on sunny days.
Published 8 February 2019
NEWS
Reducing CO2 emissions key to preventing influxes of polar bears in Arctic communities: WWF
Declining sea ice and human garbage have set the stage for a huge influx of polar bears on the Russian Arctic island of Novaya Zemlya.
Published 11 February 2019
From The Circle
Infographic: Underwater noise
Oceans cover more than 70% of the planet. Until recently, the Arctic Ocean was a natural “acoustic refuge” for marine animals because it was covered in thick ice for much of the year.