The Arctic is Melting!

Usually, when individuals think of Antartica, some of the first words that come to mind include “cold, ice, frozen, or freezing.” These words have described the state of Antartica for the majority of its history. However, it is very possible that these words may no longer be applicable to Antartica’s given the issue of climate change. Umair Irfan explains, “Ice loss has accelerated in Antarctica in recent years. Every 40 hours, Antarctica loses a billion metric tons of ice, according to a 2018 study, and at least half that loss comes from ice shelves” (Irfan, 2022). An adverse affect to climate change is the rising sea level. As the climate is getting warmer, the ice in the Arctic is melting, hence causing the sea level to rise. According to Florence Colleoni, “Since 1880, the global mean sea level (GMSL) has increased by 20 centimeters” (Colleoni, 2022). As we have learned, 20 centimeters can be converted to 0.2 meters or 7.87 inches. Although this may not seem like a large quantity, when you think of sea level rise, it is quite a lot. Some may think, what damage could a rise of sea level by a few centimeters due to our environment? Well, “The United Nations estimates that the potential costs of damage to harbors and ports alone from this flooding could be as high as $111.6 billion by 2050 and $367.2 billion by the end of the century” (Colleoni, 2018).

If the emission of greenhouse gases is not quickly reduced, climate change will continue on, sea level rise will continue on, and our Earth will literally and figuratively have to pay the price. Colleoni continues on, “An estimated 800 million people are likely to experience impacts of high-tide flooding by the end of the 21st century” (Colleoni, 2022). Knowing that there are 7.7 billion people in the world, this means that around 10% of the Earth’s population will face the effects of high-tide flooding, resulting in the possible damage of homes, property or lives. The concerning part about this whole issue is that, “There’s a lot scientists still don’t know — including some of the mechanisms behind it, where tipping points may lie, and its ripple effects over the whole planet” (Irfan, 2022). The unknown is what scares the scientists and non-scientists, alike.

Works Cited:

https://www.vox.com/22939545/antarctica-greenland-ice-sheet-shelf-glacier-melt-climate-sea-level-rise

The Uncertain Future of Antarctica’s Melting Ice

10 thoughts on “The Arctic is Melting!

  1. it is so crazy that many of the arguments against fighting climate change are that it is going to have negative impacts on our economy, but allowing climate change to continue is also going to have a terrible impact on our economy. Extreme Weather events cause billions of dollars of damage, yet we have not found a solution

  2. The statistics that you presented are really interesting and honestly very scary. I wish more people realized how concerning this issue is globally and the magnitude it can have on the life of this planet.

  3. The statistics regarding ice loss and sea levels rising are horrifying. It really puts into perspective how big of a deal climate change is already and how we have to start making large changes if we want to save life on this planet.

  4. Thank you for gathering all the informed data. The statistics got to show how fast our climate is change . the potential cost in order to combat these issues are huge — 111 million dollars! as a capitalistic society I wonder why we don’t care about this more

  5. The statistics on ice loss and rising sea levels are deeply alarming visit for more interesting information RTS TV. It underscores the urgency of addressing climate change and highlights the need for substantial changes if we hope to preserve life on our planet.

  6. Overall, this article effectively raises awareness about the consequences of climate change, specifically focusing on the impact of melting ice in Antarctica and its connection to rising sea levels. The inclusion of expert opinions, economic and human impact statistics, and the acknowledgment of scientific uncertainties make this article both informative and thought-provoking.
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