Greenland treads softly on tourism as icebergs melt
As tourists flock to Greenland to take in its breathtaking icebergs and natural beauty, authorities are mulling ways to control crowds to protect the fragile environment, already threatened by global warming.
In the past 40 years, the Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet, according to a recent scientific study.
"We can see changes every day caused by climate change: the icebergs are getting smaller, the glacier is retreating," said mayor Palle Jeremiassen.
Thawing permafrost is also threatening the stability of some buildings and infrastructure.
With the immaculate landscape so coveted by tourists changing, officials are determined to protect it without turning away tourists.
"We want to control the arrival of tourist ships here," said Jeremiassen, noting the risks posed by the highly-polluting vessels.
In order to protect the environment and community, Ilulissat should only welcome "one ship max per day, max one thousand tourists per ship," he said.
Recently, three cruise ships arrived on the same day, with 6,000 visitors.
In the past two decades, Greenland's massive ice cap has lost 4.7 trillion tonnes of ice, contributing to a sea level rise of 1.2 centimetres on its own, according to Danish Arctic researchers.
The disappearing ice has affected fishermen.
