Summer Melts Forecast for Arctic Ice

The impact of climate change on the Arctic will soon leave it ice-free during the summer months, according to comments made by a prominent UK scientist on October 15th 2009.  Cambridge University’s Peter Wadhams foresees this degree of ice-melt as having taken place within the coming two decades, and highlights how sea levels will increase as a result, and how local wildlife including polar bears and seals will suffer.  The majority of the Arctic melting will take place over the next ten years, says Wadhams, although it will be confined to the hottest times of the year. 

If what Wadhams says comes true, it will change the look of the Earth from Space.  Future images of it will show its peak appear blue as opposed to white, while sea traffic will have to navigate a different path than at present. 

Arctic Ice Loss

The scientific community links Arctic ice loss to global warming, and is now urging the global leaders set to gather in Denmark in December 2009 to take note of the situation.  This meeting is intended to provide a platform for new climate change discussions that will result in an updated global climate change plan being established. 

“The data supports the new consensus view...based on seasonal variation of ice extent and thickness, changes in temperatures, winds and especially ice composition...that the Arctic will be ice-free in summer within about 20 years”, Wadhams stated, adding: “Much of the decrease will be happening within 10 years.”

Arctic Ice Melting

Prior to his statement on the Arctic ice melting, Wadhams compared and contrasted 2007 regional ice data with statistics compiled earlier this year.  The later data was collated during a recent mission, in which the ice was discovered to be 1.8 metres thick, on average.  On this basis, it was judged too thin to last all year-round. 

The Arctic Sea is pivotal in terms of overall global climate control.  The loss of Arctic Sea ice during the summer months will expose more of the ocean itself, meaning increased levels of solar rays will be absorbed, rather than be reflected back into the sky.  This will, in effect, act to accelerate the pace of climate change

Commenting on this new statement of the state of the Arctic, Ed Miliband – UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary – said it “sets out the stark realities of climate change.”

“This further strengthens the case for an ambitious global deal in Copenhagen”, Miliband stressed.

See also:

Climate Change Releasing Arctic Methane

Arctic Ice Shrinking AND Thinning, says NASA