The North Pole is at risk of becoming ice-free within the next decade
Scientists fear that the North Pole may become ice-free within the next decade. This is what scientists are claiming in a new study of the University of Colorado Boulder, USA. The North Pole or Arctic region will see virtually no sea ice during the summer in the next few years.
Such predictions were made in the results published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment. The North Pole or the Arctic could be ice-free 10 years earlier than expected. During that time, the polar region will be ice-free for a month or more.
This can be seen due to the carbon emission situation of the world. By the middle of this century, the Arctic will probably not see ice floes in September, meaning summer. This region will have the least amount of sea ice then. The end of this century will see an ice-free season at the North Pole.
If conditions worsen and carbon emissions increase, the northern regions of our planet will continue to be ice-free during winter.
Scientists don’t think there is an ice-free Arctic, meaning no ice in the water. Researchers will declare the Arctic an ice-free area if the extent of sea ice is less than 100,000 square kilometers.
In recent years, the Arctic Ocean covered 3.3 million square kilometers of sea ice. September sees the least amount of snow.
Scientist Alexandra Jahn predicts that the Arctic Ocean will be free of ice every year from late August to early September between 2020 and 2030. This is because of pollution levels during that time period. Greenhouse gas emissions are causing loss of sea ice.
As the snow and ice cover decreases, the Earth’s temperature rises due to sunlight absorbed by the oceans. This causes Arctic ice to melt and temperatures to rise.
Declining sea ice will have significant impacts on Arctic animals. The livelihoods of seals and polar bears will be disrupted. As oceans warm, some fish may migrate to the Arctic Ocean.
Loss of sea ice will pose a risk to animals living near coastal areas. Loss of sea ice will cause larger ocean waves, resulting in erosion of coastal areas.
At the same rate that carbon emissions are increasing, the Arctic will become ice-free at some point in the future. By the end of this century, the Arctic region could be free of ice for up to 9 months a year. Instead of the white arctic region, we will then see the blue arctic region.
