Melting Ice Caps

Statistics and Facts:

 Satellites are crucial to keeping track of the size of the ice caps and the effect they are
having when they melt.
 1/5 of the global rise in sea levels since 1992 has been caused by the poles alone.
 Greenland’s ice sheet is contributing to the rise of sea levels twice as much as Antarctica,
even though it is 1/10 its size.
 Different parts of the Antarctic are melting at different rates – e.g. west Antarctica, in
particular, is melting at an accelerating rate.
 From 2003-2008, the melting of ice in the Arctic region contributed to over 50% of the
global sea level rise, at a rate of about 3mm per year.
 Greenhouse gases can be beneficial because without them, the Earth would be too cold for
us to live/survive on, but too many cause damages.
 “During the 20th century, the average temperature on the Earth’s surface rose by about
0.75°C. At the same time, sea levels rose between 10 and 20 cm.” (BBC)
 If this warming trend continues, the Arctic will become ice-free for the first time ever by
summer 2050.

Causes of Melting Glaciers:

 The glaciers melting is only a problem because the amount of snow freezing and replacing
them is much less than the amount of existing ice that is melting.
 This gradually reduces the size of the glaciers but at the same time increases the height
of the sea levels.
 I mention the amount by which sea levels are rising in other points, however I was not
able to find information on how much snow is replacing the melting ice.
 On March 24th, 2016, the size of the Arctic sea ice was at a historical low since 1979,
extending 14.52 million square kilometers.
 This is 1.12 million square kilometers below the average from 1981-2010.
 In 2015, the most ice in the Arctic was 14.54 million square kilometers.
 Glaciers take centuries to form and with our current climate state most likely won’t form
back once they are melted.
 Greenhouse gases (caused by the burning of fossil fuels) trap heat in the Earth’s
atmosphere, causing warming in the Arctic.
 Oil and gas drilling releases methane and other greenhouse gases which in turn lock in
heat and are also making the Arctic warmer.
 Deforestation – trees are essential when it comes to balancing ecosystems and cooling
down the Earth overall.
 This is linked to an increase in sea levels along with the release of carbon dioxide (a
greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere.
 Glaciers are extremely sensitive to changes in (air and ocean) temperature.
 Over the last few decades, the glaciers are shrinking at a rate of 9% per year.
Effects of Melting Glaciers:
 Only 3% of the Earth’s seawater is freshwater, 75% of which is trapped in glaciers. This
means that only 0.75% of Earth’s seawater is directly accessible by humans.
 When glaciers melt, the freshwater in them goes into oceans and mixes with the salt
water, making it no longer consumable by humans without desalination.
 “The ice found on mountains and highlands which are inland sources of rivers are also
receding and soon enough there will be no freshwater left for a growing human
population.” (World Atlas)
 As melting glacier water enters oceans, it causes sea levels to rise.
 This creates an increase in the number and severity of floods, especially in low lying
areas.
 If an area doesn’t have any water harvesting plants or other ways to collect and control
the water, floods can end up destroying farms & residential areas and displacing people
& animals.
 Scientists estimate that if all of Greenland’s ice sheet was to melt, the global sea level
would rise about 7.2 meters.
 This would flood and destroy all major coastal cities, which would put around 1/3 of
the world’s population in danger.
 Polar bears have adapted to the cold climate and conditions at the poles, so when ice
sheets melt away and the temperature increases, they are forced to live in an unfamiliar
environment without enough time to adapt.
 This also affects the lives of their food, so they have less to eat as well.
 When sea levels rise, coral reefs no longer receive a sufficient amount of sunlight and
cannot grow or thrive.
 They provide shelter for ¼ of all animal species that live in the sea, regulate oxygen and
carbon dioxide, and protect the shorelines.
 This harms the sustainability of the fish population which in turn affects species that
rely on fish as their primary source of food.
 Ice is a purifier of air – glaciers absorb harmful chemicals & pesticides and trap ancient
deadly viruses and bacteria.
 When glaciers melt, they release these things back into the air where it is breathed in by
us and other living things – it can potentially kill a significant number of us.
 Many harmful gases are trapped under the glaciers, one of which is methane (it’s both toxic
and a greenhouse gas).
 Cracks form in glaciers as they melt, through which gases can escape into Earth’s
atmosphere.
 Under our current mode of energy consumption, about 120 gigatons of carbon currently
trapped under glaciers will be released into the atmosphere by 2100 because of thawing
permafrost.
 This would increase average global temperatures by 0.29 degrees increase
(Fahrenheit or Celsius unclear).
 Ice from highlands that melts into a river is used to power hydroelectric turbines.
  If that ice melts, there won’t be enough water from just the river to power the turbines,
causing an electricity shortage.
 Glaciers exert a lot of pressure on the Earth in order to keep tectonic plates & movements
in check.
 When the glaciers melt there’s a lot less pressure being applied, so there’s more room
for movement which could result in a violent & high-energy* earthquake.
 Some areas where agriculture depends on spreading melted glacier water will have dry land
during dry seasons due to a shortage of freshwater.
 Glaciers absorb 20% of the heat from the sun that they receive and deflect the other 80%.
 With no more glaciers there, the Earth will absorb that heat and thus become hotter.
 Melting glaciers also have very few positive effects:
 It’s easier to access natural resources such as oil and gas that were trapped under the
glaciers.
 Navigation routes may improve and become more convenient – less distance travelled.

How We Can Help:

 Save gas by walking, biking or taking the bus more – one gallon of gas emits 20 pounds of
CO2 into the atmosphere.
 Plant trees – they absorb the CO2 and produce oxygen, which helps balance the increase of
CO2.
 Eat locally grown food – transportation contributes a lot to the amount of greenhouse gases
in our atmosphere.
 Utilizing alternative energy sources & increasing our energy efficiency – decreases the
burning of fossil fuels, which reduces the amount of greenhouse gases entering the
atmosphere.
 E.g. solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal energy, biofuels, electric cars, and tidal &
wave power are all energy generation methods that don’t require fossil fuels.
 Decreasing our individual carbon footprints – each of us needs to contribute less to the
amount of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases we are emitting into the atmosphere.
 We can save power by taking shorter showers, turning off water, lights, & unplugging
electronics when they are not in use, and hanging laundry to dry.
Bibliography:
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Retrieved December 18, 2018, from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-
melting-glaciers-humans-environment.php
Deutsche Welle. (n.d.). Polar ice sheets melting faster than ever | DW | 04.02.2013. Retrieved
December 15, 2018, from https://www.dw.com/en/polar-ice-sheets-melting-faster-than-
ever/a-16432199
Kiprop, J. (2018, June 18). What Are The Effects Of Melting Glaciers? Retrieved December 15,
2018, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-effects-of-melting-glaciers.html
KS3 Bitesize Geography - Glaciation: Revision, Page 8. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2018,
from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/geography/physical_processes/glaciation/revision/8/
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