Arctic and Antarctica are warming at a much faster rate than the rest of the world. During the 20th century, temperatures in parts of the Arctic rose by about 5° Celsius – 10 times faster compare to other part of the world.
The picture at Antarctic is more complex due to two major ice shelf collapse over the last decade.
In the Arctic, ice thickness has declined by over 40 percent, and an area larger than the Netherlands is disappearing every year. Scientists predict Arctic sea ice could melt entirely within 70 years.
The Greenland ice sheet - the biggest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere - losing mass from glacier discharge and accelerated summer melting and runoff.
Thinning Greenland icecap illustration courtesy of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
Melting permafrost is causing trees and buildings to fall down in the far North. Almost a quarter of all land in the Northern hemisphere has permafrost under it. As it melts, carbon dioxide and methane stored in the ground is released.
The warming in parts of Antarctica has already contributed to a decline of some Adélie and emperor penguin populations.
Is it the end of our HOME?
Are we doing thing right?
Please save Earth; One world, one destiny.
Article from:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/impacts/global_melting/arctic_antarctic
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