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Changes in the Arctic climate will not only affect the animals, plants and people living in the Arctic regions, but it will also affect the rest of the world. The Arctic region is made up of the northern parts of Canada, the United States, Greenland, Iceland and the Eurasian continents. The changes in the climate will increase global warming in these countries causing the sea level to rise all around the world. Here is how the climate has been changing in the Arctic. This evidence of this change includes a rise in temperatures which causes the melting of glaciers, sea ice, and permafrost.
The increase in melt water results in the rising of the sea level. Over the current century, there are four major changes that are expected to occur. First of all, the average temperature is supposed to increase by 3 to 7? C. Secondly, the amount of precipitation should increase by 20%. Next, the amount of sea ice is supposed to continue to decline. As sea ice reflects the sun’s rays, there will be less solar radiation which will contribute to global warming. Lastly, the total area of the Arctic region covered by snow is to decrease by up to 20%.
Many people do not understand how the climate in one region can affect the rest of the planet. There are three primary ways how the Arctic climate change affects everyone. The first reason is that the snow and ice in the Arctic reflect the sun’s energy back into space. With the decrease of snow and ice due to the rising average temperature of the planet, the sun’s energy cannot be reflected and is absorbed by the Earth. Next, the Arctic ice melts and the increase in precipitation add additional fresh water to the oceans.
This extra water can change ocean currents which affects the whole planet. Lastly, the thawing of permafrost causes the release of gases into the atmosphere. These gases are known as greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. The vegetation in the Arctic is also affected by the climate change. The three main types of vegetation are the polar deserts, the tundra, and the boreal forests. The polar deserts are situated furthest north, the tundra is situated south of that, and the boreal forests are situated just south of the tundra.
The increase in temperature is expected to cause a “northward expansion” of vegetation. This means that the tundra is expected to move into the polar deserts, and the boreal forests are expected to expand into the tundra. The expansion of forest is expected to increase global warming because the boreal forest is darker than the tundra it is replacing. Being darker, it will absorb more of the sun’s energy, warming the planet’s surface. This negative effect is relatively counterbalanced by the larger number of trees that absorb more carbon from the atmosphere.
Here is how the climate change in the Arctic will affect its animals. Many of the animals in the Arctic depend on the sea ice for survival. With the increase in the world’s temperature, the sea ice melts and destroys the habitats of polar bears, seals, walruses, and seabirds. These animals also depend on the sea’s biological productivity. Arctic warming also has a strong effect on marine fish stocks, the aquaculture of salmon and trout, and certain types of vegetation which animals depend on for food.
The settlements and infrastructures in the Arctic region are affected by the climate change. The thawing of the permafrost causes construction problems. Engineers have had to modify plans for new construction as a preventative measure. This increases the building costs. Furthermore, many communities on the coast of the region are now more vulnerable to storms. The increase in temperatures has caused the sea level to rise and the flooding of marshes and coastlines. These factors have contributed to the acceleration of beach erosion.
Although climate change affects the planet in a negative way, the reduction in sea ice will increase marine transport and facilitate the access to resources. Here is how the people and their environment will be affected by Arctic warming. The Arctic culture and the people’s activities are already threatened by certain factors such as social, economic, and political conditions. There is now a new threat: Arctic warming. The Arctic people’s culture and activities depend on the Arctic environment which includes the cold weather, ice, and snow.
In addition, there is a rise in the ultraviolet radiation that reaches the Earth. This extra ultraviolet radiation has negative effects for the animals, humans, and plants of the area. Finally, the people of the Arctic will be impacted by factors such as growing populations, urbanization, and self-determination movements. Future climate change assessments can be improved with help from the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). This assessment studies climate change in the Arctic region and brings together the findings of many scientists and the insights of indigenous people.
Modifying our behaviors to reverse the effects of global warming will be a challenge for the entire world, but it is essential that we do so. We must preserve our planet for the future generations to ensure that our families will have a healthy environment to live in and to grow. Although the changes to our planet include positive effects, the risks outweigh the opportunities. Everyone should do their part to reduce the effects of climate change because our planet’s survival truly depends on it.