Essay about Melting Ice Caps

Even just the ice melting in itself is a big deal since that makes it more difficult for polar bears to survive as shown with the decline of the populations of polar bears. Polar bears need their own area just like any other living thing and with the shrinking size of their habitat then that causes them to be more at risk since they no longer have the space they need to survive. In addition, “Cold water absorbs more CO₂ than warm water does, and more cold water is now open to the air. As the water acidifies, it loses carbonate.” (Isaacson 12).

The Arctic summer sea ice in Alaska is melting and tis is greatly affecting ecosystems and coastal communities. Glaciers are also melting which will add to global sea level rise. Alaska has warmed twice as much as the rest of the US over the past 60 years. This warming affects their industries of fishing, mining, and energy production as well as greatly affecting the native tribes of Alaska. The melting of sea ice is part of the positive feedback loop that continues to increase temperature as albedo is lowered.

Kolbert provides compelling evidence of Global Warming in the Arctic from her hands-on experience accompanying scientists in the field. From the storm surges that threaten the Alaskan village of Sarichef to the warming (and even melting!) permafrost, the evidence all point to the irrefutable fact that the planet is warming up extraordinarily fast. In fact, the Keeling Curve gives us a rather explicit visualization of how greenhouse gases levels (CO2, in particular) are rising at unprecedented rates.

Melting of the ice caps --- loss of habitat near the poles. Polar bears are now thought to be greatly endangered by the shortening of their feeding season due to dwindling ice packs.

The increasing global temperatures have caused many problems in Arctic ecosystems. The increasing warmth has caused ice caps to melt, and permafrost to thaw, causing shifts in the ecosystems around them. 1According to Harris (2005) “Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment that is frozen for more than two consecutive years. In areas not overlain by ice, it exists beneath a layer of soil, rock or sediment, which freezes and thaws annually and is called the "active layer".” (p. 17). While the melting of ice may not seem like a big issue at first glance, its effects are truly catastrophic. Many professionals in this field, such as Houghton (2009) have said 2“Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic, with the continuing retreat of

Climate change is going to affect the arctic more dramatically than other parts of the world. A study has shown that the average temperature has risen over 2ºC from 1960-2011 ("Climate Change In the Arctic"). Just a couple weeks ago the arctic was 20ºC higher than usual. Rising temperatures are going to affect the sea ice and glaciers, vegetation and wildlife as well as infrastructure. Of course these things won't just disappear quietly, they will take many other things down with them.

Economic growth is vital to sustain human life; however, the unsustainable consumption of natural resources to attain this demand is leading to self-destruction. The Earth is facing environmental changes, including climate changes, which are altering the Earth system. Significantly higher thermal expansion is inescapable if the increasing pollution by carbon dioxide emission continues relentlessly. One evidence of this change is global warming and its impact in the Arctic Ice. The critical role of the Arctic in the global climate system implies that Arctic Ice changes will have far-reaching connotations for, and feedbacks to, the entire Earth. Currently, the warning signs include: rapid diminishing of sea ice, increased mass

In our world today, the most untalked about climate change event that is only getting worse from here is the melting ice caps. As we humans move on our daily lives, we are adding more to the global warming problem, and a majority of the population is not doing anything to solve this problem. For example, when people have the option to carpool, they decide not to, resulting in gas that only needed to be used once is now doubled. This is a big factor in global warming as it is the most effective and it happens on a daily basis (Hsaik,

There are so many consequences because of global warming and humans polluting. As a result of global warming, the polar bear habitat is getting demolished. The warmer temperatures are melting the ice in the Arctic and North Pole. Polar bears are travelling miles and miles to find ice. Polar bears live, eat, and raise their cubs on Arctic ice, which is breaking up and melting at an alarming rate. Year by year, this problem will get worse and worse. Humans and factories throw away their waste in the ocean and it goes in the water the fish and animals drink. Polar bears eat fish and they are affected by this polluted water as well. Hunters kill many animals including the polar bears and it’s decreasing their population. When polar bear population decreases, other animal populations will rise and the animal chain will change. We should not let global warming take over our species and destroy the animal chain. Polar bears are one of the many animals affected and if there are too many animals affected, the whole animal chain will fall apart. Research shows that, even if steps are taken to reduce emissions now, gases already in the atmosphere will continue to heat up the earth for another 40 to 50 years. Scientific statistics indicate they may suffer extinction by year 2100. We still have many years to make a

As important as it is, Arctic coastal sea ice plays a vital role in dynamics of the coastline, covers stretches of open water which serve as important biological habitats, and serves as a platform for a broad range of activities by residents and industries (Druckenmiller et al., 2009). Sea ice is also important because it is used as a platform for harvesting seals and whales in spring, transport of personnel and supplies to camps, and as a network of trails (Druckenmiller et al., 2009). Dangerous effects of climate change include “ice breakouts” which are when large chunks of ice that whalers are using as working areas break off of the main ice blocks and take whaling camps out to sea (Druckenmiller et al.,

“An acceleration of these climatic trends is projected to occur during this century, due to ongoing increases in concentrations of green houses gases in global atmosphere. While green house gas emissions do not primarily originate in the arctic, they are projected to bring wide-range changes and impacts to arctic. These arctic changes will, in turn, impact the planet as a whole. For this reason, people outside the arctic have a great stake in what is happening there. For example, climatic processes unique to the arctic have significant effects on global and regional climate. The arctic also provides important natural resources to the rest of the world (such as oil, gas, and fish) that will be affected by climate change. And melting of arctic

First off, polar sea ice is melting. Polar bears, walrus, penguins and seals are all affected by this because none of them can breath underwater and all need resting ice. When it is not there, they have to swim distances that are impossible for them to make it that far so some will drown. In the article, “The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming” states, “polar bears are forced to swim longer distances to find their prey. Sometimes on their journeys, the bear tire and drown.” Next, there will be a dramatic rise in the sea level. This can cause flooding which will critically impact people who live on coasts. Many houses will be destroyed and it will cost people lots of money to rebuild them. As the article “Global Warming Effects and Causes: A Top 10 List” states, “many nations around the world will experience the effects of rising sea levels, which could displace millions of people. One nation, the Maldives, is already looking for a new home, thanks to rising sea levels.” Many houses will be filled with water as people evacuate the city. Lastly, the temperature will rise which means more hurricanes and extreme storms.Massive hurricanes have took many lives in the past and there will be a enormous increase of the chance of that happening in the future because of global warming. Scientists say that wind speeds have been rising due to the warmer ocean which is making this huge storms happen. The author of “Global Warming Effects and Causes: A Top 10 List” wrote, “‘Scientists have come up with the firmest evidence so far that global warming will significantly increase the intensity of the most extreme storms worldwide. The maximum wind speeds of the strongest tropical cyclones have increased significantly since 1981, according to research published in Nature this week. And the upward trend, thought to be driven by rising ocean

The world warmed by about 0.7°C in the 20th century. Every year in this century has been warmer than all but one in the last century (1998). If carbon-dioxide levels were magically to stabilize where they are now (almost 390 parts per million, 40% more than before the industrial revolution) the world would probably warm by a further half a degree or so as the ocean, which is slow to change its temperature, caught up. But CO2 levels continue to rise. All this affect the ice pack in the Arctic. As temperature rises, ice melts. This causes many problems.

One of the effects of global warming is the polar ice caps’ melting. Scientists have been researching and examining the polar ice caps for a long time and they have come to the conclusion that the thin ice sheets are slowly wasting away. They have also found out that Greenland’s glaciers are getting smaller and smaller. Places around the globe that use to be covered in ice and snow are now showing more green terrain as the years go on and as the winter months grow warmer. The polar ice caps are melting more and more due to higher global temperatures. This is really bad because the ice caps “reflect and help regulate the Earth’s temperatures.”

Glaciers are one of the most fundamental phenomenon on the planet, and much of their purpose and impact on earth has been well documented and published. Ice sheets, Ice Caps and Glaciers trap nearly 90% of the world's fresh water, and are replenished by snowfall each year. Their existence on this planet dates back 650,000,000 years and yet they are always moving, always shifting and always melting. Before, human existence and even during the brief era of humans, ice dominated all of the earth's landmass and have regulated, created and altered many of the landscapes around the world.