I am not sure how many of you know about the Arctic Doomsday Vault but to briefly summarize it for you: The Arctic Doomsday Vault is a gigantic bunker sitting deep inside a mountain surrounded by snowy wastelands.
The facility stores close to 900,000 seed samples from around the world and acts as a sort of backup plan for agriculture should disaster render parts of the planet unlivable, or the world suffer a catastrophe such as extreme climate change.
In Svalbard where the vault is located global warming has become a major problem. Between 2071 and 2100 it is estimated the average temperatures throughout the archipelago will increase by between 7-10 C. It is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet.
Svalbard Doomsday Vault exists to protect the world's most valuable natural resources from catastrophe. If we want to avoid making multiple withdraws for example of seeds of plants that can grow under hotter conditions that could help us tackle climate change. The Vault is a priority.
Moreover, I don’t like the idea of this vault being mankind's "hope." A lot of articles are describing it as "hope." Articles such as Inside the Doomsday Vault looks to the vault as a possible solution to the problem of climate change, however I hate this idea.
If climate change stays on the course the earth will not be able to support agriculture and life on the surface. Building this vault with the idea that the worst will come to pass and then, somehow, we'll be saved by these seeds is concerning. Calling this vault a "hope" or a "solution to climate change" is false. What if the day we actually open this vault and need to use it, hope dies because it's too late. The damage to the land is done and irreversible. The earth will then never be the same again. 
Interesting, this reminds me of the show The 100 when they had many seed samples and had to find how to grow food and survive underground for a number of years. And true, the vault being used would be unfortunate as that means it's gone too far.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool photo! The fact that there is artwork at the top of the vault gives me more hope. I understand how you see the reliance of a seed bank for preventing human demise is silly but if hope doesn’t exist neither can humanity.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting Jake, thank you for sharing. I never knew what the doomsday vault was. It is very scary to think that we could need to be using this in the future.
ReplyDeleteGood point! And the Vault itself has been in direct danger from climate change as the melting permafrost it sits on has been collapsing and there is real danger many of the seeds could be lost. Last I heard they were making major repairs that they believed would save it - at least for now.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting idea that it is a symbol of hope. I agree with you that when we need it the planet is far too gone. I think we do not need it if we take the right measures now.
ReplyDeleteThis is a well written post. I had never heard of this vault, but it makes sense to me. I wonder what ways we could have a “hope”. Though, I don’t really think there is one. You are right in saying that this is a crazy idea to have.
ReplyDeleteI like your analysis of the vault. I also find it concerning that we are allowing this to be a singular hope when we need to use it as a worse case scenario instead. I hope we come up with millions of more solutions that actually prevent the destruction of lands, people, animals, and infrastructure we love. Agriculture should continue to thrive if we push for policies that prevent widespread carbon emissions. It isn't that simple, but we shouldn't allow something like this vault make us feel safer than we are.
ReplyDeleteIt’s unsettling to consider that to get to this point of ever opening the vault, it could mean our planet is beyond damaged. Your perspective really shows that relying on a backup like this doesn’t address the real root issues.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that there was a doomsday vault, but I agree that it is strange and, honestly, disheartening to consider it a solution to climate change. Personally, I would consider the vault as something hopeful, but only because it shows that there are still people who are willing to spend the time, money, and energy to create something that will likely help mitigate some of the effects climate change has and will have.
ReplyDeleteYour blog raises an important point about the limitations of the Doomsday Vault. While it serves as a backup for global agriculture, should we be more focused on preventing climate disasters rather than relying on it as a last resort? You mention that calling it "hope" is misleading—what alternative solutions do you think should be prioritized instead? Also, given the rapid warming in Svalbard, do you think the vault itself is at risk in the long term?
ReplyDeleteI was unfamiliar with the existence of the doomsday fault, and I am glad that you brought it to my attention. I appreciate how you mentioned the controversy of the vault being unnecessary as a means for hope for the outcomes of climate change, and I agree that if the Earth is unsuitable for all other aspects of nature than this would be no different.
ReplyDeleteA key motivator of the vault is the recognized enormous value of seeds - and as weather changes some varieties may be more adaptable than others.
ReplyDeleteThis is so crazy. 900 seeds to use to live after the earth is too damaged? What makes people think that that is enough? Who gets to live in the vault? How will they choose? As much as this seems like an amazing idea for a dystopian novel, I think that you're right when hope is the wrong word to use for this "solution."
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