Glacier melt

2.5 Seconds series
Glaciers have been shaping our world for millions of years. But as climate change warms the planet they are disappearing. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have increased greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere and have raised global temperatures. Thus glaciers have been rapidly melting. Greenland lost an average of 286 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2016, while Antarctica lost about 127 billion tons of ice per year. Scientists project that if emissions continue to rise unchecked, the Arctic could be ice-free in the summer as soon as the year 2040.
Glaciers act as indicators of climate change and the increased speed of glacier melt is an early warning. Ice acts like a protective cover over the Earth and our oceans. These bright white spots reflect excess heat back into space and keep the planet cooler. As this ice melts, darker patches start to emerge, eliminating the effect that previously cooled the poles, creating warmer air temperatures and in turn disrupting normal patterns of ocean circulation.
Melting ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels. Because that water is stored on land when it melts it significantly increases the amount of water in the ocean. That increases coastal erosion and creates more frequent and intense storms and hurricanes. The recent rate of global sea level rise has departed significantly from the average rate and is rising more rapidly.
The loss of glacial ice also reduces the amount of fresh water available for plants and animals on land. Large additions of freshwater change water salinity and change the ocean ecosystem. In the Arctic, as sea ice melts, wildlife like walrus are losing their home and polar bears are spending more time on land not being able to hunt.
Rapid glacial melt in Antarctica and Greenland also influences ocean currents, as massive amounts of very cold glacial-melt water entering warmer ocean waters is slowing ocean currents such as Gulfstream. This will disrupt weather patterns worldwide.
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