Systematic environmental monitoring

In 1906, botanist Morten P. Porsild established a research station on the island of Qeqertarsuaq (Disko) near the town of the same name. He served as stationmaster for 40 years. In 1953, the station was transferred to the University of Copenhagen under the name ‘Arctic Station’. Since then, it has been the centre of a wide range of research, mainly in the natural sciences, and it is one of the few field stations north of the Arctic Circle that is staffed all year round.
BO ELBERLING, 2018

There are several monitoring programmes in Greenland that follow changes in nature:

From 25 measuring stations and using data from aircraft and satellites, Promice monitors the ice sheet mass balance, focusing on the ice edge. The observations include measurements of melting, climate and ice movement and are communicated to the public through polarportal.dk. PROMICE is managed by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) in collaboration with DTU, Technical University of Denmark, and Asiaq – Greenland Survey.

GEM (Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring) is a monitoring programme established to document climate change in Greenland and its impact on ecosystems, including biodiversity and greenhouse gases. GEM, which dates back to 1996, started at the Zackenberg Research Station. Since then, the program has been extended to include Kobbefjord Research Station and Kangerluarsunnguaq (start-up in 2005) and at the Arctic Station in Qeqertarsuaq (start-up in 2016). The programme is coordinated by Aarhus University in collaboration with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Asiaq, University of Copenhagen, GEUS and DTU. The rationale is to continuously measure and document climate change in Greenland and its impact on the overall ecosystem, including biodiversity and greenhouse gases.

Current research and environmental monitoring build on traditions that can be traced back to botanist Morten Porsild, who was the initiator of the first research station in Greenland, the Arctic Station, in 1906. Here, they focused on the importance of carrying out research close to a local community and all year round.

Further reading

Read more about Nature and landscape in Greenland

  • Bo Elberling

    (b. 1968) Ph.D. in Geology and dr.scient. in Geography. Professor at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen.