Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region
Winter roads, which are seasonal roads built on frozen surfaces, serve as a socio-economic lifeline in the pan-Arctic region but are sensitive to amplified Arctic warming. Potential winter roads (PWRs) refer to areas where environmental conditions are suitable for forming the frozen foundation of wi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Advances in Climate Change Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674927825000413 |
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| author | Li-Yuan Chen Wen-Quan Zhu Cun-De Xiao Cen-Liang Zhao Hong-Xiang Guo |
| author_facet | Li-Yuan Chen Wen-Quan Zhu Cun-De Xiao Cen-Liang Zhao Hong-Xiang Guo |
| author_sort | Li-Yuan Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Winter roads, which are seasonal roads built on frozen surfaces, serve as a socio-economic lifeline in the pan-Arctic region but are sensitive to amplified Arctic warming. Potential winter roads (PWRs) refer to areas where environmental conditions are suitable for forming the frozen foundation of winter roads. These roads are used to support various vehicles for diverse transportation purposes. However, PWRs for different vehicles (PWRDVs) have not been systematically identified, and the impact of changes in PWRs for freight vehicles on community freight accessibility remains unclear. This study quantified changes in PWRDVs in the pan-Arctic region during the water years 2003–2022 and assessed community freight accessibility under these changes. Results indicate that PWRs for heavier vehicles exhibited smaller areas (ranging from (6.32−8.02) × 106 km2 as multi-year averages), shorter durations (ranging from 160 to 180 d for areal and multi-year averages), and more severe degradation. Degraded PWRDVs were primarily observed in the Eurasian Arctic. PWRDV areas decreased by (1.6–3.7) × 104 km2 per year (2%–6% per decade). Shortened durations occurred in 8%–21% of PWRDVs, with average reductions of (1.30–2.03) d per year (7%–13% per decade). Some degradation trends were more pronounced than previously documented long-term trends, suggesting accelerated degradation in recent years. Without artificial improvements to other transportation infrastructure, the degradation of PWRs for freight vehicles led to reduced freight accessibility, with improvements in accessibility through PWRs decreasing by 2%–73% per decade in 155 communities, most of which were considered vulnerable due to their relatively large populations and remoteness. These findings provide insights into changes in winter roads and can help enhance the resilience of winter roads and communities to climate change in the pan-Arctic region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd168c4bd6c641c4804f9d00528ef521 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1674-9278 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Climate Change Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd168c4bd6c641c4804f9d00528ef5212025-08-20T03:55:22ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Advances in Climate Change Research1674-92782025-04-0116238139610.1016/j.accre.2025.02.006Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic regionLi-Yuan Chen0Wen-Quan Zhu1Cun-De Xiao2Cen-Liang Zhao3Hong-Xiang Guo4State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center for Global Land Remote Sensing Products, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaWinter roads, which are seasonal roads built on frozen surfaces, serve as a socio-economic lifeline in the pan-Arctic region but are sensitive to amplified Arctic warming. Potential winter roads (PWRs) refer to areas where environmental conditions are suitable for forming the frozen foundation of winter roads. These roads are used to support various vehicles for diverse transportation purposes. However, PWRs for different vehicles (PWRDVs) have not been systematically identified, and the impact of changes in PWRs for freight vehicles on community freight accessibility remains unclear. This study quantified changes in PWRDVs in the pan-Arctic region during the water years 2003–2022 and assessed community freight accessibility under these changes. Results indicate that PWRs for heavier vehicles exhibited smaller areas (ranging from (6.32−8.02) × 106 km2 as multi-year averages), shorter durations (ranging from 160 to 180 d for areal and multi-year averages), and more severe degradation. Degraded PWRDVs were primarily observed in the Eurasian Arctic. PWRDV areas decreased by (1.6–3.7) × 104 km2 per year (2%–6% per decade). Shortened durations occurred in 8%–21% of PWRDVs, with average reductions of (1.30–2.03) d per year (7%–13% per decade). Some degradation trends were more pronounced than previously documented long-term trends, suggesting accelerated degradation in recent years. Without artificial improvements to other transportation infrastructure, the degradation of PWRs for freight vehicles led to reduced freight accessibility, with improvements in accessibility through PWRs decreasing by 2%–73% per decade in 155 communities, most of which were considered vulnerable due to their relatively large populations and remoteness. These findings provide insights into changes in winter roads and can help enhance the resilience of winter roads and communities to climate change in the pan-Arctic region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674927825000413Potential winter roadVehicle weightFreight accessibilityClimate changePan-Arctic |
| spellingShingle | Li-Yuan Chen Wen-Quan Zhu Cun-De Xiao Cen-Liang Zhao Hong-Xiang Guo Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region Advances in Climate Change Research Potential winter road Vehicle weight Freight accessibility Climate change Pan-Arctic |
| title | Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region |
| title_full | Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region |
| title_fullStr | Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region |
| title_short | Degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities’ freight accessibility in the pan-Arctic region |
| title_sort | degradation of potential winter roads threatens vulnerable communities freight accessibility in the pan arctic region |
| topic | Potential winter road Vehicle weight Freight accessibility Climate change Pan-Arctic |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674927825000413 |
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