A wooden trail across a landscape characterised by autumn colours in Malla Nature Reserve in Finnish Lapland in September 2021. The Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) has warned that the region’s nature could change significantly and partly irrevocably as a result of rising temperatures. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)
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NATURE is changing rapidly and partly irreversibly in Finnish Lapland, according to the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke).
Syke on Wednesday reported that temperatures in the region will rise by two to three degrees from the current level and four to five degrees from pre-industrial levels in the next 50 years if countries follow through on their existing climate commitments but take no further action.
Temperatures in Fell Lapland, a sub-division of Finnish Lapland, have already risen by about two degrees from pre-industrial levels.
The rise in temperatures will have a significant impact on nature and livelihoods in Lapland: natural habitats will change and disappear as palsas and permafrost melt, landscapes will become greener as grass and shrubs take over open areas, and animal species will become threatened if not entirely extinct.
Almost 40 per cent of the species that inhabit treeless fell tops are already threatened.
“The plight of species will be exacerbated further by the darkening and eutrophication of waters, as well as the arrival of non-native and invasive species such as fox, pink salmon and hogweeds,” the research institute states.
“Winters in Lapland will start later and become warmer, making many livelihoods such as reindeer herding, nature tourism and construction more difficult.”
The projection is based on an analysis of temperatures in the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway and Sweden. The analysis was coordinated by Syke.
While the baseline projection assumes that countries around the world honour their existing climate commitments but take no further actions, Syke pointed out that without any action to mitigate global heating, temperatures in Lapland could rise by up to seven degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
