• Land area: 2.4 million km²
• Length in north-south direction: 2 600 km
• Highest point: 3 200 m
• Percentage of land covered in ice: 75%
• Percentage of global fresh water: 8%
• Average temperature: +2.3 °C (south) / -19.0 °C (north)
• Population: 55 000

Source: Greenland Survey (presentation given during course)

Asiaq has four departments:

• Climate, hydrology, environment (data collection and monitoring)
• Surveying, geophysics (city maps, checking building sites)
• Mapping, GIS
• Electronics engineering (hydrology stations)

The climate and hydrology department has 14 climate stations in towns around Greenland for data collection. The data is updated once an hour, and published online. It is stored to a database, and the quality is analyzed.

They also have hydrological stations around Greenland that measure the sea level, lake levels and meteorological parameters.

Asiaq has no resources for climate research, so the research is done by the Danish Meteorological Institute instead.

Administratively, Asiaq operates under the Greenland Home Rule.

Source: Greenland Survey (presentation given during course)

Permafrost occurs where the ground temperature stays below 0 °C throughout the year.

The topmost one to two meters of the ground consists of peat, and below that ground ice begins. This has the effect that water concentrates in the top soil, because it cannot escape through the ground ice.

Due to this, climate change has the most effect at the areas where the highest temperature is near 0 °C. Many buildings in Greenland are founded on ground ice, and if the ice melts, the structures will be pushed up and collapse.

If permafrost thaws, greenhouse gases (CH₄, NO_x) will also form due to increased biological activity in the peat.

Currently very little data on permafrost in Greenland is available. Permafrost mapping is being done by digging temperature sensors into the ground, and uplinking them via satellite from climate stations. This data can then be combined with readily available meteorological data for analysis.

Source: Greenland Survey (presentation given during course)

Hydro power is important in Nuuk. It is both being affected by, and causing, changes in the environment.

Climate change leads to changed discharge from glacier fed lakes. In the short term, this means more runoff to rivers from glaciers, and higher precipitation. In the long term, however, the ice runs out and the runoff ceases. Without water, the hydro power stations become useless.

However, glaciers are a highly dynamic system. Increased precipitation may cause a glacier to advance even in an increased temperature.

The construction of dams for hydro power stations may change drainage patterns. In some cases, even the flow direction can reverse.

Source: Greenland Survey (presentation given during course)

Climate change has many negative implications:

• Reduction of sea ice formation. It has been theorized this may even shut down the Gulf stream.
• Rise in the sea level.
• Unknown climate feedback: it is not well understood what local effects a global temperature rise will have. This is a large potential risk.
• Loss of unique nature, such as the icefiord in Ilulissat.

However, there are also some positive implications climate change may have:

• Possibility for agriculture in Southern Greenland. Currently all agricultural products are imported.
• Enhanced access to transport and natural resources. Currently there is no sea ice in South-West Greenland, and all major towns are there. Also, resources may be currently hidden under ice.
• Introduction of new species, for example cod in the Nuuk region.
• Gain of new unique nature?

Finally, nature can adapt to a slow rise in temperature, as that has occurred in the past. The fast changes that are currently happening are the problem.

Source: Greenland Survey (presentation given during course)