A new study has revealed the troubling relationship between Antarctic ice sheets, the ocean, and the warming atmosphere.
What’s happening?
Research published in Nature Communications shows the potential impact that Antarctic meltwater has on rising sea levels and temperatures. The researchers created various models depicting simultaneous interactions among ice, seawater, and the atmosphere. As the planet endures overheating, melting glaciers and ice sheets in Antarctica pose a major threat to global communities.
“Doing this kind of modeling work is challenging but critical to understanding the full impact of global warming on ice sheets, and how the ice sheets, in turn, affect the climate,” Ambarish Karmalkar, an assistant professor in the University of Rhode Island’s department of geosciences, told Phys.org.
Scientists stated that pledges submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are insufficient to limit global mean surface temperature rise. Further mitigation is needed to prevent the disastrous effects of melting ice.
Why are melting ice sheets important?
Ice sheet loss creates significant increases in sea levels. This can exacerbate the effects of extreme weather events that have been supercharged by warmer global temperatures. Rising sea levels can increase the risk of major flooding along the coasts.
This new study said this melting could impact up to 1 billion people living in coastal communities by 2060. With major insurance companies dropping coverage because of worsening natural disasters, this can put homeowners in an impossible position. Some people even face displacement due to flood threats.
Additionally, the study shows that meltwater will also cause warming in the North Atlantic and surrounding regions. Ocean warming can alter the ecosystems of a region, driving away certain native fish and potentially impacting livelihoods.
What’s being done about melting ice sheets?
Ongoing research is important in building our understanding of how melting works. The study explained how difficult it has been for scientists to grasp interactions between ice sheets and the climate. This, in turn, has made it hard to predict and mitigate the impacts of ice loss on the planet. When more resources are invested in expanding this knowledge, we can better educate ourselves about the climate issues impacting our communities.
On an individual level, we can help tackle this problem by avoiding using dirty energy like gas or coal. These fossil fuels produce heat-trapping pollution that contributes to Antarctic ice melting.
One way to combat this is by switching to solar energy. Solar produces less pollution while saving money on your utility bills and protecting you against rising energy prices. TCD’s Solar Explorer connects you with vetted installers and saves up to $10,000 on solar installations by curating competitive bids.
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