pack ice, permafrost… The dangers of melting ice – L’Express

The cryosphere, defined as all regions of the world covered by ice at least part of the year, is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures, which causes melting of ice and acidification of waters harmful to life. Marine.

“Some parts of the Arctic or the North Atlantic Ocean reached temperatures 4° to 6° above normal,” the report insists. The NGO reports a year of “climatic disasters”, and takes as examples broken records for the Antarctic sea ice, fires which affected Canadian permafrost, or even the loss of 10 % of Swiss glaciers for two years. “None of these tragic events surprised us,” say seven scientists in their foreword.

The international scientists behind this publication warn of the effects of global warming of 2°C, which would have numerous deleterious effects on the climate and biodiversity, cause potential climatic disasters and affect living conditions. everywhere on the planet.

The thawing of permafrost, a term which designates soils whose temperature remains below 0 degrees for more than two years, would thus have the effect of releasing carbon dioxide and methane, emissions which contribute to the increase in temperatures .

If warming reaches 2°, the melting of ice caps will lead to “a significant, potentially rapid and irreversible rise in ocean levels”, warn the authors, who urge COP28 participants to make decisions to keep global warming at 1 .5 degree. As such, they call for establishing a plan to exit fossil fuels and developing financial mechanisms, particularly to support climate action.

The release of the report, which was reviewed by dozens of international scientists, comes days after the UN warned that the world was failing to bring the climate crisis under control.