cryopolitics

Call for abstracts – RGS-IBG 2026 @rgsibg.bsky.social (1-4 Sept, London)

Human Presence Beyond Earth: Critical Geographies of Outer Space 🧑‍🚀

Full CfP: shorturl.at/1LL4Y 🧪 #geography #outerspace #artemis #artemisII @nasaspaceflight.com

What does the US really see in Greenland? - Land and Climate Review Alasdair is joined by returning guest and co-author of “Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic,” Mia Bennett, to discuss the Greenland crisis.

“What Trump is after is an expansion of American territory that would make him a historic president.”

@alimacewen.bsky.social is joined by @cryopolitics.com to examine Greenland’s complex history and her views on the reasons behind US threats of annexation.

www.landclimate.org/us-greenland/

Call for Papers: @rgsibg.bsky.social | London | 1-4 September 2026

Investigating the geopolitics of private satellite infrastructure: new pathways for connectivity and conflict

Full CfP: docs.google.com/document/d/1... 🧪 #satellites #geography #Starlink

Turning tundra to tarmac, Ilulissat pursues Arctic airport ambitions - CRYOPOLITICS When I ran 45 kilometers to and from Ilulissat to Oqaatsut, the tundra crunched underfoot. That's because the iceberg city's runway expansion is covering the tundra in dust.

Blog: Last summer, I ran 45 km to & from #Ilulissat, #Greenland🇬🇱, which is expanding its airport to accommodate jet planes. But as I found, the renovations to the iceberg city's #infrastructure are choking the tundra in dust. ✈️🧊

Read on: www.cryopolitics.com/2026/01/18/t... #airport #trailrunning🧪

Trump’s Greenland Threats and the Plunder of the Arctic The far north has long been a region of exceptional international cooperation. But Trump’s designs on Greenland come at a time of growing instability.

My review, for @newrepublic.com, of @klausdodds.bsky.social & Mia Bennett's (@cryopolitics.com), Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic. W/ discussion of Greenland & the wider geopolitical context. It's an excellent book & one that could not be more timely.
newrepublic.com/article/2051...

Thanks so much for the review, Adam. I'm glad you found the book informative, even if the timeliness itself is at times concerning!

Also interesting: #Starlink is also responsible for more mass in orbital space than any national or multinational entity save the US.

Holding up the skies: is Starlink occupying low Earth orbit? Starlink is occupying low Earth orbit (LEO) with thousands of small satellites, which provide global high-speed internet. We calculate that the privately owned megaconstellation, which we contend f...

📢 New article: Holding up the skies: Is #Starlink occupying Low Earth Orbit?'

We calculate that the megaconstellation, which forms a privately-owned planetary infrastructure, equals

→ 52% of all mass in LEO 🛰️
→ 75% of all mass launched LEO btw 2019-2023 🚀

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime continues its nationwide blackout. Iran has now been effectively offline for over 12 hours, with national connectivity down to ~1% of normal levels. Yet, with the help of Starlink, footage comes out of Iran here and then.

After Venezuela, will Greenland be next to fall in the Western Hemisphere? - CRYOPOLITICS While Trump raises fears of Russian and Chinese ships swarming Greenland, the island's residents fear the much realer possibility of American ships.

Blog: While Trump raises fears of Russian and Chinese ships swarming #Greenland, the island's residents fear the much more real possibility of American ships swarming the world's largest island.

www.cryopolitics.com/.../after-ve... #Arctic #geopolitics 🧪

RBmedia | Unfrozen Listen to the audiobook Unfrozen, written by Klaus Dodds;Mia Bennett, narrated by Senn Annis.

Not exactly bedtime listening these days, but the audiobook of 'Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the #Arctic' is now out. 🎧🧊🧪 @klausdodds.bsky.social & I were delighted to secure award-winning Canadian narrator Senn Annis to bring our writing off to life. rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

Thank you! :)

Following in the paw prints of the polar bear - CRYOPOLITICS I'd always wanted to see a polar bear serendipitously. Finally, while snowmobiling across Svalbard, I came upon one where I least expected it.

Last blog post of 2025 recalling one of the year's highlights: seeing my first polar bear.

I'd long wanted to chance upon the #Arctic's apex predator. Finally, while snowmobiling across #Svalbard in May, I saw one where I least expected it. 🐻‍❄️ 🧪

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/12/28/f... #polarbear

For Ukrainians in Vardø, the Arctic is a refuge, not a battleground - CRYOPOLITICS The Arctic is often perceived as a future battleground. But it has actually become a safe haven for refugees from Ukraine and beyond.

The #Arctic is perceived as a future military theatre. But while war rages to the south, it has become a safe haven for refugees from #Ukraine and beyond.

New blog post drawing on fieldwork in Vardø with @riaadams.bsky.social @infranortherc.bsky.social

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/12/19/f... 🧪

As Greenland rejects Starlink, China and Russia tighten military ties - CRYOPOLITICS For remote Arctic communities, Starlink is the obvious choice for internet. But Greenland, wary of the US, is turning to European alternatives.

For many remote #Arctic communities, #Starlink is the obvious choice for satellite internet. But #Greenland, wary of the US, is turning to European alternatives. Meanwhile, China and Russia’s military-industrial complexes are linking arms.

More on my blog: www.cryopolitics.com/2025/12/04/a...

Super cool to come across this Vantor (formerly Maxar) WorldView image of the NISAR (NASA - ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite in orbit. A satellite taking a picture of a satellite – very meta... 🛰️

www.linkedin.com/posts/tien-n...

Have we reached peak Arctic Circle? - CRYOPOLITICS People often eagerly discuss the end of the Arctic. Yet realizing that the Arctic Circle Assembly may have peaked could hit a bit too close to home.

People often eagerly discuss the end of the Arctic. Yet realizing that the #Arctic Circle Assembly may have peaked could hit a bit too close to home.

My latest blog post recaps this year's conference, which just wrapped up in #Reykjavik.

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/10/21/h... #geopolitics 🧪

this has gotta be up there with the most unflattering photos of me 😆

Thanks for the kind recommendation! Much appreciated.

First container ship to sail the China-Europe Arctic Express Route arrives in England - CRYOPOLITICS Chinese container ship Istanbul Bridge arrived in England from China after a 20-day journey via the Northern Sea Route. But locally, no one noticed.

The Chinese container ship #IstanbulBridge arrived in England from China after a 20-day journey via the Northern Sea Route. But locally, in the town of Harwich, no one seemed to pay much attention. #Arctic #shipping

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/10/15/f... 🧪

US Arctic Research Consortium Shuts Down The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States will shut down this month after having its funding slashed earlier this year. The closure reflects the Trump Administration's move toward securitizi...

I offered some remarks on the closure of the US #Arctic Research Consortium for High North News, which deals yet another blow to regional cooperation – and to communities in Alaska, too.

www.highnorthnews.com/en/us-arctic...

Just as Istanbul Bridge departs China for the UK via the Northern Sea Route, I was excited to be interviewed for the Weekly Biz cover story on #Arctic #shipping in Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's largest newspaper. Some excellent infographics, too.

www.chosun.com/economy/week... #NorthernSeaRoute

Unfrozen by Mia Bennett, Klaus Dodds | Waterstones Buy Unfrozen by Mia Bennett, Klaus Dodds from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

Now published! 📢

'Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the #Arctic'

Co-authored with @klausdodds.bsky.social, our new book on northern geopolitical & ecological change is out today in the UK. Available in the US from 21 Oct.

www.waterstones.com/book/unfroze... #geopolitics #books 🧪

Check out my blog for a recap of the #Arctic Security Conference 2025, which convened in Oslo for the second time last week.

Takeaway: The work of Arctic conferences, as niche as they are, should be to reject rather than reproduce megalomaniacal discourses.

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/09/22/a...

Amazon is seeking to roll back the FCC's five-year deorbit rule, and I had something to say about that. 😁 #spacedebris #satellites

Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic - Mia Bennett and Klaus Dodds in conversation | Events at Waterstones Bookshops | Waterstones Events at Waterstones get you closer to the books and authors you admire most. Find information and tickets about Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic - Mia Bennett and Klaus Dodds in conv...

My book with @klausdodds.bsky.social, 'Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the #Arctic', comes out on 23 Sept. We have several events this autumn in the UK including a conversation night @waterstones.bsky.social in London on 14 October.

Hope to see you there!
www.waterstones.com/events/unfro...

Might anyone know if there exist shapefiles or rasters of #Arctic sea ice in the 16th or 17th centuries? Thank you! 🧪

It was inspiring to visit the Humboldt University of Berlin and meet with researchers in the Earth Observation Lab (@humboldteolab.bsky.social)‪ & Conservation Biogeography Lab (@biogeoberlin.bsky.social‬), who are advancing #RemoteSensing in exciting (and critical!) ways. Vielen Dank! 🛰️

Despite housing shortages, Greenland razes colonial apartment blocks - CRYOPOLITICS Now, these colonial monoliths built by the Danes are on their way out.

Colorful houses. Monumental icebergs. Sturdy igloos. These are the structures for which #Greenland is famous. But in #Nuuk, the ones that leave the biggest impression are the block apartments.

Read more in my newest blog post. #architecture

www.cryopolitics.com/2025/06/11/d...

Touching down at Nuuk's expanded airport - CRYOPOLITICS A 2200-meter runway has been carved into Greenland's lunar landscape, thrusting passengers into a duty-free paradise of cigarettes and alcohol.

Yesterday, by a stroke of luck, I found myself on @icelandair.bsky.social first Boeing 737 MAX flight to #Nuuk, #Greenland. The airport has an expanded runway, which has been lengthened to 2200 meters to accommodate jumbo jets.

Blog: www.cryopolitics.com/2025/06/03/t... #Arctic 🧪