Melting Ice Caps and Consequent Rising Sea Levels: An Irreversable Symptom of Global Warming
We’ve all heard it on the news, we’ve seen it on documentaries, we’ve read about it in the newspapers, but we’ve never given it much thought – the ice caps in Antarctica are melting!
According to recent studies, over 13,000 sp. km of ice in the Antarctic Peninsula has melted away over the past half century, leading to unprecedented rises in sea level and detrimental effects on the environment and people. The future does not look so bright: it has been predicted that at least half of the Arctic sea ice as well a significant portion of Greenland ice sheet would have melted away by the end of century, leading to various social, economic, and environmental problems, such as the following:
Inundations in low-lying coastal areas (the coastline of Florida and Louisiana, for example, would be pushed 150ft inland)
Possible destruction of some cultures of indigenous peoples that have developed around the Arctic region whose health and food security are threatened
High chance of extinction of polar bears and sea species
Irregular circulation of currents and regional climate resulting from sudden addition of large amount of fresh water into the sea
So what is causing such rapid melt in ice caps? Major studies point to the continuous rising temperature around the world: global warming. Over the past century, global sea level has risen by 10-25cm, 20% of which has been contributed by melting ice caps and glaciers. Some climate models predict a 0.9m rise in sea level by the end of this century, and perhaps even a rise by 7m in the next two centuries, if the ice sheet of Greenland melts (which is likely to occur in the case that current rising pattern continues). The severity of the problem also lies in the fact that melting ice caps lead to greater absorption of solar radiation and melting permafrost to release of trapped methane, aggravating the impact of global warming.
So what is to be done? Melting ice caps is ultimately a global warming issue, and many scientists look to reduction in greenhouse gases as the solution to the problem. On a large scale, reducing global warming indeed should be a priority; on a smaller scale, measures should be taken to eliminate immediate threats such as extinction of polar bear species.
Helpful Sites:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4228411.stm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1109_041109_polar_ice.html
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/polarregions.html
http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2002/06/060302_polarcaps.jhtml
http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/ice-cap-melt.html
http://www.eolss.net/ebooks/Sample%20Chapters/C10/E5-05-17.pdf
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