In the last few decades, there has been a 134 percent increase in global temperature.
This has led to melting of the ice sheets, rising sea levels, super floods, and drought all around the world. Glacier growth has also accelerated. While global warming may not be considered the root cause of these weather disasters, it does play a major role in accelerating them. Glacier retreats, mass glacier melt, icebergs, thawing of the cryosphere, and the rapid spreading of potential ancient mysteries thawed from those regions. With threats that could have serious consequences for food supplies, water security, and the stability of our environment.
A study conducted by scientists involved with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that in the decade up to 2021, climate change was the most significant global environmental change that had occurred in the past century. Although the planet has been subjected to natural climate variation over the last million years, during the period of recent climate change, the climate has been much more extreme. Rapid climate change is thought to be the result of greenhouse gas emissions, which are the result of the combustion of fossil fuels for energy production, and industrial processes, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
This increase in atmospheric pressure can cause rapid climate changes as the planet absorbs more heat from the sun.
Rapid climate change has caused the melt rate of the ice sheets to raise by about fourteen percent in the last century. In addition, the rate of thawing of the ice sheets has increased fourfold. There is a danger that the Arctic regions, which are particularly prone to climate change, may become physically unstable. The Arctic is considered the wintertime ice-free region of the world. The rise in sea levels due to thermal expansion of the water mass, and the thermal insulation provided by the melt water from icebergs will significantly increase coastal flooding.
Polar glaciers are losing mass rapidly. As they melt, the global ocean-based water storage systems, such as the Southern Oceans current, are gradually being depleted. The resulting imbalance in ocean circulation will further increase the rate of heat loss from the Earth’s surface to the air. This will further increase ocean currents, which will enhance the melting of the ice in the Arctic.
Global warming has another harmful impact on the Arctic environment. Global warming is the result of the concentration of heat near the Earth’s poles. In addition, global warming has enhanced the melt rate of the glaciers. In many areas, the warming has resulted in the cancellation or less frequent snowfall. Glacier retreat is expected to continue at a rapid rate, with new glaciers forming nearly everywhere.
The rapidity of global warming and its effects on the Arctic environment have forced the creation of a number of international Arctic protection organizations. These organizations have been formed to coordinate efforts to reduce the damage caused by global warming. Although their budgets are limited, they have been able to create partnerships with each other to finance research into finding solutions to the global warming challenge. Through the coordination efforts of these organizations, there is a possibility of slowing down the rate of global warming at the very least.
Among the environmental effects of global warming, two are of critical concern. First is the increased rate of iceberg formation. Icebergs, due to their great thickness, can cover large areas of the ocean’s surface area. The increased rate of iceberg formation, coupled with the melt rate of the Arctic’s summer ice, can result in a catastrophic mass release of ice in the Arctic Ocean should temperatures rise to dangerous levels. Another important effect of global warming is the mass loss of the huge amount of marine life that depend on the Arctic Ocean for their existence.
In the Arctic, sea-ice is already melting at a rapid rate. As the Arctic Ocean waters continue to warm, the ice will eventually start to melt. This will be a disastrous effect on the environment and could disrupt food chains. This would most likely lead to threats to the lives of polar bears, but other delicate species as well. The effects of global warming are truly alarming.
Therefore, it’s essential to both learn and do all we can to fight the degradation of the environment caused by the global warming phenomenon.
Provided by Antonio Westley
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be seen as an overview of this subject and not a reflection of viewpoints or opinions as nothing is definitive. So, make sure to do your research and feel free to use this information at your own discretion.
