Global Warming Polar Ice Caps Melting

If the ice caps melted how much would the ocean rise? Over the last 100 years the earth’s temperature increased ½ a degree Celsius. Doesn’t sound like much but half a degree will have an effect on our planet. According to the EPA the sea level has risen 8 inches.

Antarctica has 90% of the worlds ice in the south pole Antarctica has 90% of the worlds ice in the south pole. This is 70% of the worlds fresh water. The ocean is like a cup of water when you add ice to the cup it gets fuller. With the temperature warming parts of glaciers break off causing icebergs. (Giant ice cubes) There is a significant amount of ice covering Greenland, which can add another 20 feet to the oceans if it ended up melting

Why is the Arctic so closely watched? The average temperature in the Arctic region is rising twice as fast. (As is elsewhere in the world.) The ice is getting thinner and rupturing. The melting is affecting native people, plants, and the wildlife.

How does the dramatic ice melt affect it’s surrounding? Polar Bears, seals, walrus’, and whales all have to change their eating habits and migration patterns in order to adapt to the surroundings. Making it harder for the natives to hunt and eat for themselves. Villages will be uprooted because of the danger of being swamped with water.

Solutions If everyone stopped emitting greenhouse gases the Earth would still warm by a degree. What we do now days can make a big difference later down the road. A couple researchers Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow at Princeton University have suggested an approach that they call "stabilization wedges." This means reducing GHG emissions from a variety of sources with technologies available in the years to come.

Pros and Cons Pro: For one person, an increase of the temperature can at the first look have a few advantages, like less snow to shovel during the winter or warm evenings for BBQ’S during the summer. Con: Certain areas of the world are most likely to flood, leaving people homeless. Con: Serious problems for food crops and farmers. Winter crops may not grow if the temperature is unable to get cold enough.

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