In June 2019, a spectacular photo of Husky seemed to walk on the water in Greenland became viral, revealing the worrying reality of the rapid melting of ice in the Arctic.

The photo, taken by climate Stephen Olsen, shows the dogs walking in shallow water over sea ice in the Ingfild Brening area in Northwest Greenland. While many saw the image as beautiful, Olsen found it alarming as he represented the extreme melting conditions he observed.

Olsen and his team watched the ice near the town of Kanaak, one of the most northern cities in the world, when they faced unusual warm temperatures that caused a rapid melting ice – a rare phenomenon for June. Their local community had warned them that such an event was unlikely to be repeated for a century. However, in 2019, the melting began in April, weeks earlier than usual, affecting almost 95% of Greenland’s ice. This early melting leads to a “domino” process, accelerating further melting and contributing to significant ice loss.

The event highlighted the frequency of extreme temperatures in Greenland, with 2019 and 2012 recording extremely warm summers. Rapid melting has already begun to disturb the lifestyle of local communities, making moving and ice research more dangerous. As scientists are increasingly based on automatic organs, the image of Husky remains a strong reminder of the climate crisis.

Olsen’s photo has triggered global climate change discussions, acting as a warning and awareness tool. While this image cannot be considered proof of climate change, it vividly captures the increasing need for action against the environmental changes taking place in the Arctic.