July 1st 2009
Climate Change Threatens Arctic Species
Fears are growing about the effect that global warming is having not only
on the Arctic itself but also the many species that rely on it for their
existence.
Following reports that the temperature in the Arctic could rise by
somewhere in the region of 4 to 8 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st
century*, many species, such as polar bears, seals, the arctic fox and
the caribou could suffer greatly from the resulting effect this will have on
the cover of Arctic ice.
Without cover of Arctic ice, essential feeding, breeding and sheltering
habitat for Arctic animals will be lost. Good cover of Arctic ice is essential
for the migratory routes of many Arctic species, with animals like the seal
finding ice shelves very useful for birthing young pups in relative safety
and isolation. Dr Martin Sommerkorn, WWF International Arctic
Program's Senior Climate Change Advisor has pointed out that "there
are already signs that species such as polar bears are experiencing
negative effects as climate change erodes the ice platform on which they
rely. These changes are also affecting the peoples of the Arctic whose
traditional livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems." The continuing
loss of older, thicker ice means that the Arctic ice cover is following a
trend of becoming younger and thinner each year.
The trend of melting Arctic ice is also alarming for the rest of the world.
"The Arctic is a key factor in stabilising the global climate," Dr
Sommerkorn said. "Arctic ice is like a mirror, reflecting the sun's heat
back into space. As that ice goes, Arctic waters absorb more heat,
adding to global warming. The local warming of the Arctic will also soon
release more greenhouse gases from the Arctic that were previously
locked in permanently frozen ground. This means there will be two
powerful feedbacks from the Arctic affecting the global environment.
This is not just an Arctic problem, it is a global problem, and it demands
a global response."
How the governments of the world will come together to tackle this is the
big question. Will talks break down, or will the world's nation states reach
an understanding in the next round of talks? The pressure, and the heat,
is on.
* mean projection estimated by the MMD-A1B ensemble - IPCC, 2007.
Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, Cambridge
University Press, p. 901. [Available from: http://www.ipcc.ch]