The Arctic and Antarctic are the globe's refrigerators. The vital function of the glaciers is to reflect heat into space, balancing out other parts of the world that absorb heat. As a result of climate change caused by global warming, polar ice caps are melting. Over the last 30 years, we have been losing the Arctic sea ice at a rate of almost 13% per decade. The Arctic's oldest and thickest ice has shrunk by a staggering 95%. Scientists have discovered that the glacial mass wouldn't be there by 2040.
How can you even imagine ice without summer?
Ice appears white and reflects heat from the Sun back into its surroundings. Hence, if less ice is present around the globe it will mean that less heat is reflected back which will cause intense heat waves worldwide. Due to this ocean currents would slow down, and it will also decrease the wind speed, disrupting the northern jet stream, consequently leading to more extreme weather.
At present, about 10% of the land area on Earth is covered with glacial ice and 90% of this ice in the Antarctic while the remaining 10% is in the Greenland ice cap.
Rapid glacial melt in Antarctica and Greenland impact ocean currents due to massive contents of ice-cold water entering the warm oceans. Sea levels will rise due to ice melting on land. Even the cooling of surface water moving north causes it to sink for the return journey south, helping to drive the gulf stream. If this process is disrupted, it could impact everything from the Indian monsoon to the pattern of El Niño in the Pacific ocean. The worst instance of climate change would occur due to a phenomenon known as 'Permafrost'. Permafrost refers to a layer of soil that is permanently frozen. This thick subsurface layer of the ground stores great amounts of methane, which is released to increase Global Warming when the layer thaws. This, in turn, causes more ice and permafrost to thaw or melt which in turn releases more methane, causing more melting. As we lose more ice rapidly we will see a more rapid permafrost melting which will worsen every possible impact of climate change and global warming.
The wildlife will also be affected since many species would be extinct as they lose their habitat and will vanish.
The new shipping routes will open up in the Arctic. These routes would save our time but they are treacherous. Imagine more shipwrecks or oil spills like the Exxon-Valdez in areas that remain inaccessible to rescue or clean-up crews. A few of the solutions which reduce the chances of this occurring are as follows:
Using electricity and water wisely.
Utilising organic wastes such as biomass to reduce the extent of methane in the atmosphere.
Practicing ecotourism.
Planting more trees wherever possible
Saying no to plastics.
Hence, by preventing our glacial mass from the process of melting, we all will support as well as contribute to not having an ice-free summer by 2040.
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