What does the future hold for Svalbard?

Since the first whalers arrived 400 years ago, the Arctic area of Svalbard has been exploited. With the growing threat of climate change, Svalbard now faces the threat of further exploitation as new coal seams are being exposed due to melting ice. As the ice melts, can Svalbard make a new sustainable future for itself? The impact of climate change is part of all GCSE geography specifications.

Elizabeth Hudson

The majority of Svalbard’s 2,700 population live in Longyearbyen

The town of Pyramiden in Svalbard is one of world’s northernmost settlements. It was once a thriving community of around 1,000 residents, with a school, hospital and swimming pool. Pyramiden was built in 1910 as a coalmining settlement after the discovery of coal in the vicinity, and for a short while, the town’s economy boomed on sales of this valuable fossil fuel.

However, Pyramiden’s story only lasted as long as the coal. In 1998, the coal ran out, the mines were shut down, and the area was abandoned overnight. What now remains is a ghost town of empty buildings and decaying mining infrastructure, a reminder of its industrial past.