Why the recent Greenland election results are so important

Two days ago, the island of Greenland, mostly covered by an enormous ice sheet crucial for maintaining our ecosystem, delivered a decisive victory for Inuit Ataqatigiit, a separatist and socialist party.

This is important for a key reason: the previous Siumut-led government was considered opening a rare earth metals mine in Kvanefjeld, citing economic growth and job opportunities which if opened will have catastrophic environmental consequences and accelerated the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. Inuit Ataqatigiit opposes the project and any prospect of uranium mining in Greenland. If that ice sheet melts, sea levels will rise by at least 7 metres, meaning that large parts of Europe and the USA will become permanently flooded. Worse still, that will completely divert the Gulf Stream and cause a miniature ice age across Europe for areas that do not become flooded. The Greenland ice sheet is vital to us all. 

IA gained 4 seats increasing its seat total to 12; although this is not enough for a single party majority it will be enough to keep Siumut and the Democrats out. Surprisingly Siumut actually increased its seat total by 1, mainly at the expense of its former coalition partners, the Democrats, who lost 3 of their 6 seats, and the Cooperation Party who lost their only seat. Greenlandic independence from Denmark/unionism with Denmark proved to be as significant a political faultline as ever. Naleraq retained its 4 seats despite losing some support to IA, meaning that pro-Greenlandic independence parties have a majority in the Inatsisartut.

Greenlandic autonomy and protection of its ice sheet is not only vital for the people of Greenland but for protecting the Arctic Ocean and for the maintenance of environmental equilibrium. The Greenland ice sheet and Arctic Ocean need to be left alone to recover.

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