Satellites reveal sudden Greenland ice melt
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18978483
The thawed ice area jumped from 40% of the ice sheet to 97% in just four days from 8 July. According to ice core records, such pronounced melting at Summit station and across the ice sheet has not occurred since 1889.
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What will happen if ice caps melt?
Answer:The level of the world's oceans will rise. But this is not the real problem, the problem is that these white ice caps reflect sunlight, much of which is reflected back into space, in turn cooling earth, but with the ice caps melting, the only reflector is the ocean, darker color absorbs sunlight causing further warming of the earth which can be up to 80 °C which is fatal and can cause extinction of all living organisms.
- If all the ice melted, north and south pole, Antarctica, Greenland, and all, sea levels would rise between 175 and 225 feet.
- Coastal areas would essentially disappear, and roughly a third of the earth's existing landmass would be submerged. it is estimated that 60% of the world's population lives in the coastal plains.
- Many inland areas would be affected as well, as water tables, rivers, and lakes would all rise from their previous heights.
The melting of the north polar cap would not appreciably increase the volume of water in the oceans, since the north polar cap is resting on the water and not on the land. It would decrease the salinity of the oceans, however, and this would cause some serious problems. The melting of the south polar cap, which rests on the continent of Antarctica, would add a great deal of water to the oceans and help to raise sea level, as well as contributing to lower salinity. The melting of the glaciers of Greenland would also significantly raise sea level.
My sister lives at 6 feet, and the tide gets closer to her home every year. In some countries it is devastating. In places like Bangladesh it leaves thousands without homes or farmland.
When the whole North Pole is melted, the water will rise not at all, because floating ice doesn't change sea level, but when Greenland and Antarctica melt it may raise sea levels around 7 or 8 metres. This will flood sea countries like the Netherlands so that half of the Netherlands will disappear under the sea level.
- The sea levels will start to rise
- If the ice-caps melt the ecosystem will go out of balance
- Temperature will get hotter in the coldest places in the world.(That are meant to be cold.)
The animals that live in the cold (polar bears, penguins, and arctic foxes) will become endangered. -
Climate change and associated sea level rise pose serious ethical challenges. Emissions generated today will have ascending adverse effects on generations yet to be born. Likewise many of the countries most affected by climate change or sea level rise are small island states whose per capita and total emissions are quite small. Even in industrial countries such as the United States weather related disasters are likely to affect the poor more than others. The likely social injustice inherent in disruptive climate change was a central theme of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in their Statement on Global Warming issued in 2001.The very powerful and recently released film, The Great Warming, highlights this theme. Rev. Richard Cizik, Vice President for Governmental Affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals, stresses the importance of “Creation Care” — preserving the environment for future generations. He notes:
Because God doesn’t intend to ask me, “Rich, how did I create the Earth?” He won’t ask me that. He’ll say “Rich, what did you do to protect that which I created? ” And that is an awesome question that deserves a good answer.
There is a natural link between the Creation Care, Social Justice and individual personal accountability themes of our major faiths that may impel believers of many diverse theological perspectives to support efforts abroad such as energy transformation efforts in small island nations or coastal protection efforts in both island states and low lying nations such as Bangladesh and Indonesia. The recently launched Endangered Islands Campaign seeks to link island nations that are pioneering in innovative approaches to climate protection with research and technical institutions abroad and university and religious groups that are encouraging carbon offsets as a sign of their ethical or religious commitment. Ultimately success in achieving a stabilization of global greenhouse gas concentrations may be realized both through entrepreneurial innovation and through individuals recognizing the wisdom of Walt Kelly’s possum, Pogo, “We have met the enemy and he is us” and then acting through their faith or ethical perspectives to right themselves with future generations and their own Creator or conscience.