A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has revealed the extent of the disaster. According to the scientists in the study, even if measures against global warming are taken starting today, there is a risk of complete melting of glaciers in the Arctic in the summer months of the 2030s.
The researchers stated that they reached this analysis with the data they obtained from the movements of the glaciers in the Arctic sea from 1979 to 2019.
Scientists stated that the melting of sea ice is largely of human origin, while air pollution, which warms the planet, plays a leading role in this.
THE WORK WILL BE OVER WHEN THE GLACILS MET
“We were surprised that we would have an ice-free Arctic in summer, despite our efforts to reduce emissions,” Seung-Ki Min, the study’s lead author and professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology, told CNN.
Min said that Arctic ice accumulates in the winter and then melts in the summer, reaching its lowest levels in September. Emphasizing that this will be a normal cycle, Min said, “In the Arctic, as the ice melts completely in the summer, it will be more difficult for the glaciers to reach old levels in the winter months.” On the other hand, Min stated that because of this negative situation, sea ice formation will progress much more slowly in cold seasons.
WHAT DOES THE MELTING Glacier MEAN?
According to a study conducted in 2022, it was revealed that the Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world. On the other hand, according to NASA’s research, while the sea ice in September is shrinking by 12.6 percent every decade, there has already been a rapid melting in the region.
In the statement, it was stated that an Arctic scenario without sea ice in summer would seriously affect the world. It was emphasized that the bright white surface of the glaciers is important in reflecting the negative effects of the sun. It has also been said by experts that this melting of glaciers can have a significant impact on the global weather, expressing that it portrays a warmer world.
Stating that the melting of the glacier may cause weather events such as forest fire, flood and extreme heat waves, Min said, “The earlier onset of an glacier-free Arctic also means that we will experience extreme events faster than expected.”