Warmer and stormier conditions are destabilizing the Arctic, report says
Washington PostDec 13, 2022
According to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, a sharp rise in Greenland's temperatures since 1995 indicates the island is 1.5°C warmer than it was during the 20th century, and the warmest it's been in more than 1,000 years.
New analysis of Greenland's ice cores — drilled in 2011 — show a dramatic rise in temperature has occurred in the previous 15 years. The study also reveals that the average melt rate at the base of the ice sheet has increased, adding to sea level rise.
This study presents a worrying picture. A warmer world has shifted ecological and landscaping processes in the Arctic, replaced snow with rain, and decreased the thickness of ice sheets. If we don't stop destabilizing the Arctic region with polluting emissions, as well as plan for and adapt to the changing environment, rising sea levels will eventually inundate humanity living along the coastlines.
Climate and environmental disasters have been predicted by modern-day doomsayers for decades. None of the apocalyptic predictions have come true so far; why would this time be any different?
There are multiple methods to keep global warming in check besides slashing emissions including capturing carbon from the Earth's oceans. But even these methods should not be seen as a silver bullet. Before countries start experimenting with the ocean's health, they must consider ecological, environmental, and economic benefits or risks to communities solely dependent on the sea for survival. This is a tricky and messy issue.
There's a 50% chance that the Arctic will be essentially ice-free by May, 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.