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Arctic Ice-cap Melts off Twice the Size of France
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by Rob Walker | January 24, 2008 at 11:23 am
1956 views | 5 Recommendations | 8 comments
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I'm sure this is just a natural heating cycle and has nothing to do with the massive amounts of garbage we're pumping into the atmosphere every day. After all, what's a few square million miles of water, right?
The Arctic ice cap has shrunk by an area twice the size of France's land mass over the last two years, the Paris-based National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) said Wednesday."The year 2008 promises to be a critical year on every level," said Jean-Claude Gascard, the body's research director and coordinator of European scientific mission Damocles, which is monitoring the effects of climate change across the Arctic.
September 2007 measurements show ice covering 4.13 million square kilometres (1.6 million square miles), down from 5.3 million square kilometres in 2005.
"Melting could result in the loss of another million in one (2008) summer," he added at a press conference.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (8)
at 14:43 on January 24th, 2008
Since you asked to use my picture I should put it in some context. It was taken at the end of June and was beside a lake. Keep in mind not only is it June and typically warm everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, it is also 24 hours of daylight which can facilitate melting. The passion this photo ignites is due to natural causes.
That being said, as an earth scientist, I think it is totally preposterous to think that we can predict climate change and it's impact in the future. No other science seems to think they can extrapolate data so far into the future with such limited data in the past. There is a lot to be said for protecting our environment because we have to live here. However, this desire for protection should not come at the hands of fear mongerers with little to no background in science or with a personal agenda.
Jeff
at 15:06 on January 24th, 2008
the photo was taken in Arctic Bay, Nunavut last June in the late evening. It was at a time when there was 24 hour daylight - in fact, we flew out after midnight and the pilots had to use the sun visors.
baine has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:12 on January 24th, 2008
Hello Rob,
First off, I enjoyed the way in which you were able to convey your own stance on global warming, in just two sentences. I could never have managed it.
There are so many scientific organizations around the world that are at odds with each other about global warming, that I suppose I can understand why there is such a split in opinion.
Personally, I think our Earth is in desperate trouble, especially if we don't recognize the urgency of the possible consequences if we ignore that obvious fact.
Good piece Rob!
~ Swan
at 15:25 on January 24th, 2008
The Mackenzie River has broken and the ice and anything it grabs is floating out to the Arctic Ocean. Spring is finally here in May 06
EclecticBlogs has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:39 on January 24th, 2008
When I lived in the north the danger for polar bears did not reside in the hearts of hunters. Nanuq the polar bear who could not talk was starving. He hung out around hamlets like Churchill, Baker Lake or Iqaluit, looking for garbage since this natural habitat was unpredicatable as the climate changed. Some people even insisted that there was no danger from the polar bear who had wandered into town since he was ’skinny.’ That did not reassure me! I would have preferred to know that he was fat, fluffly and well-fed. Polar bears die from exhaustion trying to swim along their regular hunting routes as ice floes they used to be able to depend on melted into thin air literally. They die, not because there are not enough seals but because they need platform ice in the right seasons. That platform ice is disappearing. They die with ugly massive tumours in them developed from eating char, seals and other Arctic prey whose bodies are riddled with southern toxins that have invaded the pristine, vulnerable northern ecosystem. Nanuq is dying a slow painful death. Nanuq is drowning. Although he doesn’t sing he is a canary for us all.
ocean.flynn has contributed a photo to this story.
at 19:13 on January 24th, 2008
ocean.flynn: I have seen some of this myself - it breaks my heart. NO FAIR! Polar bears have evolved over the ages to face comparatively sudden death with no chance of survival. They do everything right by instinct yet we have poisoned their environment in ways they can not adapt to quickly enough. Nanuq is our big canary but still we argue.
at 17:32 on January 25th, 2008
This berg was floating off the coast of Greenland. It had melted considerably, with the part above the water being full of holes. The shapes were great photo material. We drove around it a few times taking pictures, then went ashore. About 5 minutes after we reached shore, we heard a thundering crash, and turned to look. It had collapsed in on itself.
jyrhino2000 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 16:51 on January 27th, 2008
Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. It was interesting to hear from the naturalist on the cruise, and in the park literature that nearly all the glaciers in Glacire Bay are in retreat.
Don_Hutter has contributed a photo to this story.