In the summer, the Arctic could be ice-free a decade earlier than previously thought, even if carbon emissions are reduced.
This conclusion came after study Scientists have used satellite data to study the breakdown of sea ice at the North Pole over a period of more than 40 years.
The authors of the study, led by South Korean researcher Min Seung-ki of Pohang University of Science and Technology, wrote in Nature Communications published Tuesday that the result showed that regardless of emissions scenarios, ice-free September 1 will occur in the early 30s to 2050s. .
To make their predictions, the researchers evaluated the measurement data for each month between 1979 and 2019 and compared it to the simulated changes. The sea ice limit reaches its lowest level in the summer in mid-September.
newspaper reportedNew York Times” An American who predicted earlier forecasts found that more drastic action to slow global warming could be enough to save summer ice.
Recent studies show that when it comes to Arctic sea ice, only a sharp reduction in emissions can reverse the warming effects that have already begun.
As sea ice has been shrinking in recent decades, societies, ecosystems and economies around the world are grappling with the consequences.
Sea ice reflects solar radiation back into space, so the less ice there is, the faster the Arctic will warm. This causes the Greenland ice sheet to melt faster, increasing global sea level rise.
The temperature difference between the Arctic and the equator also influences storm tracks and wind speeds at mid-latitudes, meaning that warming in the Arctic could affect weather patterns such as heavy rains and heatwaves in temperate regions of North America, Europe and Asia.
Source: Agencies +»New York Times”