Global warming 'past the point of no return'
A record loss of sea ice in the Arctic this summer has convinced scientists that the northern hemisphere may have crossed a critical threshold beyond which the climate may never recover. Scientists fear that the Arctic has now entered an irreversible phase of warming which will accelerate the loss of the polar sea ice that has helped to keep the climate stable for thousands of years.
They believe global warming is melting Arctic ice so rapidly that the region is beginning to absorb more heat from the sun, causing the ice to melt still further and so reinforcing a vicious cycle of melting and heating.
Steve Connor: Vicious cycle will affect climate of northern hemisphere
Since the first satellites began monitoring the frozen ocean of the Arctic 27 years ago they have given us a bird's eye view of the relentless loss of the northern hemisphere's floating sea ice.
There is an annual cycle of sea ice growth and retreat each polar winter and summer, but the monthly averages collected since 1978 show an unambiguous, long-term decline. Satellite data shows the sea ice in September - the month when it melts to its minimum extent each year - has declined by about 8 per cent each decade.
[Since the late 1970s, the Arctic has lost about 20 per cent of its September sea ice.]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi abk: I came here looking for information on ice fishing shelter and found your post on this post. Although it's not quite the information I was looking for, I appreciate the chance to have a read. I'll definately be checking back in. I'm off to look for more resources for ice fishing shelter. If you have any more great suggestions, please post them here and I'll come back to check. Thanks again!
Post a Comment