Greenland Media Advisory

Greenland is no longer a distant climate story. It is a frontline global risk issue, with consequences for sea-level rise, geopolitical stability, mineral supply chains, and international security. This is especially relevant given the political statements made by US President Donald J Trump and his administration. As Arctic Basecamp marks its 10th anniversary at Davos, this briefing underscores the organisation’s mission to speak science to power — ensuring that scientific evidence shapes decisions at the highest levels.

Titled “Greenland Under Risk: Briefing on Science, Security, and Global Risk,” the briefing brings together leading glaciologists, geopolitical thinkers, and business leaders at the iconic Arctic Basecamp science tent above Davos.

Polar regions registered their warmest year on record, and Greenland holds around 80% of its landmass under ice. If lost, the ice sheet alone would raise global sea levels by 7.4 meters, with catastrophic consequences for coastal cities, economies, and global stability. Scientific research conducted in and around Greenland underpins much of what the world knows about ice dynamics, climate sensitivity, and ocean circulation systems such as the Atlantic overturning circulation.

That scientific foundation is now under pressure.

Recent political statements by the United States administration regarding Greenland have raised serious questions around sovereignty, access to resources, and the future of open international climate research. Any unilateral move — militarily or economically — risks destabilizing long-standing scientific collaboration at precisely the moment when clear, shared evidence is most urgently needed.

This one-hour session will examine:

· Why Greenland is central to global climate and sea-level risk

· What accelerating ice loss means for planetary security

· The growing strategic importance of Greenland’s critical minerals

· How geopolitical tensions could undermine climate science and global cooperation

· The implications for business, finance, and climate action at a moment of global backsliding

08:45 – 09:45 CET
(Timing for funicular from promenade suggestion: 08:15)

Where:
Arctic Basecamp
Outside Berghotel Schatzalp
Davos, Switzerland

· Prof. Gail Whiteman – Founder, Arctic Basecamp; Hoffman Impact Professor, University of Exeter

· Prof. Alun Hubbard – Glaciologist and Geophysicist; Director, Thule Institute; UArctic Chair

· Prof. Martin Siegert – Glaciologist and Polar Scientist; Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Cornwall), University of Exeter

· Prof. Klaus Dodds – Geopolitical writer and public speaker; Interim Faculty Dean, Middlesex University London (video contribution)

· Keith Tuffley – Founder, NEUW Ventures; Former Chairman, Energy Transition & Sustainability, Citi

Greenland is no longer a distant climate story. It is a frontline global risk issue, with consequences for sea-level rise, geopolitical stability, mineral supply chains, and international security. This is especially relevant given the political statements made by US President Donald J Trump and his administration.

As Arctic Basecamp marks its 10th anniversary at Davos, this rapid response briefing underscores the organisation’s mission to speak science to power — ensuring that scientific evidence shapes decisions at the highest levels.

· Open to media

· Visuals available at the Arctic Basecamp science tent

Download soundbites from Professor Gail Whiteman and Professor Martin Siegert here. 

· Please contact for interview requests

Name: Helen Clay

Email: helen@arcticbasecamp.org

Phone: +44 7837 913280