In 2022, scientists recorded record heat in various parts of the globe. At the poles, the situation was no different. This year's high temperatures have caused ice melting never seen before in history, both in the Arctic and Antarctica.
Read more: What are the effects of melting glaciers?
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For you, -12.2ºC may seem like an incalculable cold. However, it was one of the highest temperatures ever recorded at the Concordia research station, which is 1,600 km from the South Pole. The reading was recorded in March 2022.
According to a report published by the magazine New Scientist, the “intense” heat happened due to the mass of hot and humid air brought by atmospheric rivers to the continent. This has happened more frequently in recent years.
The information is from Catherine Walker, a scholar at the Woods Home Oceanographic Institution. According to her, one of the explanations for this is global warming caused by man.
In Antarctica, scientists have recorded the smallest extent of sea ice in history. This is a reflection that the oceans are getting warmer.
In fresh water, there was also melting. An ice pack the size of New York City collapsed off the east side of Antarctica in March of this year.
In the Arctic, issues involving the war between russia and ukraine did not allow for more in-depth studies at the North Pole. However, by other means, scientists discovered that the temperature of the region was rising.
In September, there was record heat in Greenland. Thermometer measurements were caused by the hot, wet debris from Hurricane Fiona. The heat wave caused the melting of “billions of tons of ice”, as reported by the New Scientist.
The trend for 2023 is not the best possible. Still according to the publication, the situation should be repeated next year.
As we know, planet Earth lives in a delicate and balanced ecosystem. O global warming could lead to continued melting of glaciers. As a result, people all over the world will suffer serious consequences.
Among them, perhaps the most important is the scarcity of fresh water. It is estimated that only 3% of all water in the world is fresh, while the rest is salt. Therefore, every little bit is precious. The melting causes the water of the rivers to be lost, mixing with that of the sea.
In addition, there may be the extinction of animal species that make glaciers their natural habitat. Not to mention, melted ice can harbor lethal viruses and bacteria that may have survived years of being frozen.
Finally, melting Arctic and Antarctic ice raises sea levels on a large scale. Thus, coastal cities – or even countries! – can be completely submerged.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.
