The Ribbing for Arctic mission is pleased to announce that it is under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. It is a great pleasure for us to have the support of the Ministry.
During our mission, with respect to the environment, we will try to film phenomena, gather specific data on key coastal and ocean variables, wildlife observations (over 5,500 species of animals live in the Arctic, including unique species such as the polar bear Ursus maritimus and narwhal Monodon monoceros, fish species, large populations of migratory birds and marine mammals, and some of the largest colonies of seabirds on the planet), as well as the changes that occurred with the change of temperature for the snow and sea ice. A large portion of the Arctic region includes the Arctic Ocean, which is home to an amazing array of wildlife. Climate change is causing sea ice to melt and permafrost to thaw, threatening coastal villages and the wildlife. The Arctic is characterized by a wide range of and large variability in environmental conditions. The Arctic Ocean has the most extensive shelves of all oceans, covering about 50% of its total area. It comprises diverse ecosystems such as unique millennia-old ice shelves, multi-year sea ice, cold seeps and hot vents, and their associated communities.