Arctic's 'Last Ice Area' showing signs of melting
Context:
"Last Ice Area" is a part of the Arctic's ice that has started showing signs of melting earlier than the scientists' expectations.
About Last Ice Area:
- Situated north of Greenland and in Ellesmere Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.
- Scientists earlier believed this area was strong enough to withstand global warming.
- In 2015, National Geographic had forecasted the complete melting of ice in summers in the area by the year 2040. However, "Last Ice Area" would withstand the global warming.
Importance of Ice Last Area?
- ice-dependent species get huge relief in this area as surrounding ice has melted.
- This area is used by various species like polar bears to hunt seals, while Walruses use the surface of the ice for foraging.
- Reasons for Melting of Last Ice Area: The first sign of change in the Last Ice area was observed in 2018.
The reasons for the change include:
- About 80% of thinning can be attributed to weather-related factors, such as winds that break up and move the ice around.
- The remaining 20% can be attributed to the longer-term thinning of the ice due to global warming.
Daily Free Live Classes, Check Here
Ongoing Live Courses
IAS 2022 Foundation Course For GS (Pre cum Main)
IAS 2021 Crash Course for Prelims
Free Notes
Comments
write a commentSatyam KumarJul 26, 2021