27 February, 2026

Urban environments are defined by a constant hum. Traffic, construction, emergency vehicles and everyday activity blend into a soundscape that shapes daily life. Noise pollution is now a familiar urban concern and its impact on wellbeing is widely recognised. Yet this issue does not end at the city boundary. 

Our oceans are growing noisier too. As the climate crisis warms temperatures and melts sea ice, new passageways are opening to ships and industrial activity in previously inaccessible waters. WWF reports that underwater noise in the Arctic Ocean is increasing as shipping, oil and gas exploration and infrastructure expand.  

Healthy acoustic environments are a key part of marine habitat. Sound helps species locate food, identify safe habitat and communicate effectively. Narwhals are one Arctic species that depends heavily on sound. As Inside Climate News reports, they have evolved to rely more on hearing than sight to navigate, hunt and communicate in dark Arctic waters. Growing noise from vessels can disrupt narwhals as they search for prey and stay in touch with their pod, and in some cases the animals respond by becoming quieter. This raises concerns about their long-term ability to feed, socialise and adapt in a rapidly changing environment.  

Shipping noise is also affecting a wider range of marine species. Baleen whales depend on very specific low frequency sounds to communicate across long distances but these fall within the same range of noise produced by ships, making it harder for them to be heard. A study found that recordings of a healthy reef attracted more fish to degraded habitat, demonstrating how strongly marine life responds to acoustic cues. 

This highlights how climate change and human activity combine to create new risks for wildlife. As Arctic routes continue to open, there is a responsibility to ensure that increased access does not come at the cost of species that depend on sound for their survival. Thoughtful management and global cooperation will be needed to protect these underwater soundscapes and the animals that rely on them. 

By Tulika Agarwal