2.4.8

Case Study: Svalbard

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Case Study of a Cold Environment – Svalbard

Svalbard is in Norway and is home to around 2,700 people. Most of the inhabitants of Svalbard live on the island of Spitzbergen. Opportunities for development in Svalbard include:

Extracting minerals

Extracting minerals

  • Coal can be extracted minerals in Svalbard.
    • The coal can be used to generate power.
Fishing

Fishing

  • You can fish for cod, herring and haddock in the Barents Sea.
Tourism

Tourism

  • Tourist come to Svalbard for Northern Lights excursions.
  • Excursions include:
    • Cruise ships.
    • Adventure tourists.

Challenges for Development in Svalbard

The challenges for development in Svalbard include:

Extreme temperatures

Extreme temperatures

  • Winter temperatures can fall below −30°C in Svalbard.
  • It is so cold in Svalbard that people have to wear thick clothes to protect them from frostbite.
    • It is difficult to work outside because it is so cold.
Inaccessibility

Inaccessibility

  • The road system in and around Svalbard is limited.
  • Svalbard can only be reached by sea or air.
  • Most people travel around the islands using snowmobiles.
Buildings and infrastructure

Buildings and infrastructure

  • The warmth from buildings could melt the frozen ground (permafrost).
    • Melting the frozen ground could make buildings collapse.
    • Buildings must be carefully designed to make sure they don't collapse.
  • Water pipes need to be heated so the water in them doesn’t freeze.
    • Water pipes must be kept above the frozen ground.
Jump to other topics
1

The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1

Natural Hazards

1.2

Tectonic Hazards

1.3

Weather Hazards

1.4

Climate Change

2

The Living World

2.1

Ecosystems

2.2

Tropical Rainforests

2.3

Hot Deserts

2.4

Tundra & Polar Environments

3

Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1

The UK Physical Landscape

3.2

Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3

River Landscapes in the UK

3.4

Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4

Urban Issues & Challenges

5

The Changing Economic World

5.1

The Changing Economic World

5.2

Economic Development in the UK

6

The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1

Resource Management

6.2

Food

6.3

Water

6.4

Energy

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