The Arctic

Earthjustice is fighting to protect one of the Earth’s remaining wild landscapes by working to reduce black carbon, stop disruptive oil and gas drilling, and defend communities that rely on the Arctic landscape for sustenance.

Jeff Schultz / National Geographic Creative

After legal pressure from Earthjustice and the realization that it is too risky to drill for oil in the remote, stormy and icy Arctic seas, Shell abandoned its plans to drill for oil in the sensitive waters of America's Arctic waters in 2014.

THE ARCTIC IS GROUND ZERO FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

Massive blocks of Arctic ice play an important role in regulating the planet’s climate. But rapid loss of Arctic ice due to climate change is leading to great shifts—temperatures are increasing, storms are intensifying and sea levels are rising as we move towards irreparable damage. Additionally, as the Arctic landscape changes, the wildlife and human communities that depend on its resources for survival are facing daunting and life-threatening challenges.

EARTHJUSTICE IS FIGHTING TO SAVE THE IRREPLACEABLE ARCTIC ECOSYSTEM BY:

PROTECTING ARCTIC WILDLIFE through litigation that protected imperiled species like polar bears, caribou and whales.
REDUCING BLACK CARBON through coalition building on the national and international level.
STOPPING OIL AND GAS DRILLING with litigation that beats back unlawful attempts by oil and gas companies to unleash dangerous carbon emissions and turn one of the most productive ocean ecosystems in the world into an industrial drilling zone.

WE’RE PROTECTING THE ARCTIC FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Earthjustice played a strategic role in advocating for a landmark program to reduce methane, black carbon and other pollutants. The plan was announced in February 2012 by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson, the United Nations Environment Programme, and leaders from five other nations. Earthjustice is one of the few civil society representatives in the newly formed “Climate and Clean Air Coalition”.

"Drilling in high-risk places like the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean is a backwards-looking strategy when we need to look forward to meet energy needs and limit the effects of climate change.” – Trip Van Noppen, Earthjustice President

Buying Time for the Arctic

Reducing black carbon emissions can help buy time for the Arctic.

Black carbon has a major role in Arctic warming. And because it only stays in the atmosphere for days or weeks, reducing black carbon may be the fastest, most effective strategy to slow warming and melting in the Arctic. Earthjustice is working with environmental community allies at home and around the world to slow black carbon emissions.

Spotlight Features

Renewable Village

Alexanna Salmon is the village administrator of the Alaskan community of Igiugig (population: less than 70). Her village is turning off diesel generators and turning on solar and wind power—and showing the rest of us how to end our addiction to fossil fuels. Watch the full-length video.

Visions of the Arctic

A film about the thriving, diverse Arctic landscape, and the threats the region faces from industrialization and climate change. Presented by Earthjustice, and produced by the acclaimed photographer Florian Schulz and Emil Herrera-Schulz.

Stop Soot: The Easiest Way to Slow Climate Change

Soot, also known as black carbon, is the second-leading cause of global warming after carbon dioxide, and it's totally preventable. We already have the technology to avoid producing it; it's just a matter of using it.