The runway of the the world’s northernmost airport is melting.
Svalbard Airport, Norway, is the world’s most northerly landing strip for scheduled commercial flights. The runway was built 1970s, no one expected the permafrost layer it was constructed on to start melting
Two airlines, SAS and Norwegian, fly year-round between the airport in Longyearbyen, the main settlement on the islands, and the Norwegian mainland, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) to the south.
The airport regularly welcomes charter flights and private jets too, such is the allure of its unique geographical location.
The Arctic is one of the world’s most environmentally fragile regions and the workers at Svalbard Airport has already had a first taste of the effects of climate change.
When Longyearbyen’s 2,300-meter-long runway was built in the early 1970s, no one expected the permafrost layer it was constructed on to start melting. But that is exactly what’s happening now.
Permafrost is defined as ground that’s remained frozen for at least two years. The heating and thawing of permafrost has become a significant issue for Svalbard, with the resulting instability and subsidence affecting buildings and infrastructure of the airport.
During the summer months the airport workers check the runway meticulously every day, because the soil might subside at any point.
