The Arctic is giving us a loud and clear signal this December, and scientists are urging us to take notice.
For the very first time since satellite monitoring opened nearly 50 years ago, the extent of Arctic sea ice has fallen to a level that is unprecedented for the month of December.
However, this is not just a matter of ice melting in the remotest corners of the world – it is having an impact on the weather, animals, and human populations globally.
The ice covering the Arctic Ocean is usually replenished in the winter and reduced in the summer. You can imagine it as a kind of protective cover over the sea which stretches when it’s cold and shrinks when it’s warm. Still, this time around, the cover is not only thinner but also smaller than at any previous occasion, highlighting the fragile state of Arctic sea ice.
According to the information released from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the volume of sea ice in the Arctic is presently at very low levels, and this is a record situation for this season.
What should be freezing is barely doing so. In December, the entire Arctic Ocean was warmer than average. Warmest places were the Canadian Arctic and Greenland.
Why Winter Ice Matters Most
Most probably, you would consider that the issue of the summer loss of ice is more significant, but the winter ice is actually the most important factor concerning the Arctic’s sustainability in the coming years, especially for the long-term survival of Arctic sea ice.
It is in the wintertime when the Arctic is supposed to be replenishing its ice reserves. Thus, if this is not happening correctly, the whole system is ailing.
Walt Meier, an ice scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, states it in a single sentence: the reduction is due to the rise in temperatures. The difference between ice skating and swimming is only two degrees—31 degrees Fahrenheit versus 33 degrees. The Arctic is extraordinarily vulnerable to these slight variations in temperature.
Compared to the rest of the planet, the Arctic is heating up at a rate four times greater. This somewhat accelerated warming is the cause that ice builds fewer and fewer winters, and the ice that is forming within Arctic sea ice systems is of a weaker and more fragile nature.
The Ripple Effects Beyond the Arctic
It is not only the loss of the polar bears and the seals that Arctic ice decline is causing (although these are the ones that suffer the most), but it has implications to a great extent beyond that.
The polar bears living in western Hudson Bay have decreased by 21 percent during the period 2017-2021 resulting in the population being only half of what it was in the 1980s approximately.
Nevertheless, the extent of the trouble goes far beyond. Reduced Arctic sea ice is a significant factor in the alteration of Earth’s weather patterns with unexpected consequences for the entire globe.
When the area covered by ice is small, the ocean warms the air above it more than usual. This additional heat creates problems for the stratospheric polar vortex-the river of cold air that is normally stable over the Arctic.
Consequently, the breaking of this polar vortex results in the escape of cold air from the Arctic to areas such as North America and Europe, where it causes extreme cold snaps and bizarre winter weather. Ironically enough, a warming Arctic may be the reason for temporary severe cold outbreaks in regions far to the south.
In March of this year, for example, Arctic sea ice count was at its annual winter minimum with only 5.53 million square miles of coverage, thus, the smallest maximum in 47 years of satellite records. It was about 30,000 square miles less than the previous record low in 2017, roughly the size of California (NASA).
Acting on What We Know
The record-low Arctic sea ice this December is not merely a statistical figure- it is a measurement of our changing planet. Every little fraction of a degree in warming is of utmost importance.
The good thing is that the Arctic is highly responsive to changes, whether they are warming or cooling. Hence, the implications of our actions today are very real and tangible.
Being aware of these changes is the very first step. Help climate research by taking measures to decrease carbon emissions and preserve Arctic ecosystems; all these efforts are beneficial.
The extent and speed of changes even in a warming world are still at the discretion of the decisions made by us at present.
Though Arctic sea ice is at its lowest, our knowledge and capacity to act are at their highest. A concerted effort is being made by scientists, communities, and concerned citizens worldwide to address the issue. The ice is delivering a message to us- this time, we are listening.
Karan Shukla is a college student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, with a strong focus on sustainability and climate change. He is passionate about environments issues, biodiversity and greenery and he also conducts independent studies on them. Karan aims to educate and inspire others on pressing global issues.