Global Warming is Happening Now
Scientists are no longer telling us what will happen, they are telling us what is happening.
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Mush! From those who rely on the Arctic ecosystem for survival to the victims of hurricane Katrina and beyond, global warming will inevitably have an impact on us all. |
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Melting of permafrost--the layer of permanently-frozen soil that is a defining characteristic of polar and alpine environments--is already causing collapses in the ground above it, leading to structural failures in buildings and roadways throughout the Arctic and sub-arctic. Continued melting is likely to make construction and transportation in the region increasingly problematic. Conversely, disappearing sea ice is likely to lead to significantly more navigable seaways: for example, the navigation season for the Northern Sea Route is projected to increase from the current 20-30 days per year to 90-100 days by 2080. While this may be a boon to international commerce, it will increase the risk of accidents, oil spills, and the chronic air and water pollution associated with shipping activities.
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Retreating sea ice and melting permafrost also increase the likelihood of erosion in many areas. In some coastal Arctic regions, retreating sea ice has left low-lying coastal areas more vulnerable to storm surges, with sometimes dramatic consequences. The village of Shishmaref, for example, located on an island off the coast of northern Alaska, has been increasingly battered and damaged by storms. Several houses have been evacuated and moved to high ground, and now the entire village is likely to be relocated to the mainland.
For many Native peoples of the Arctic, a warming climate and subsequent environmental changes are already profoundly altering their traditional, subsistence way of life. For example, predicted northward movement of sea ice is expected to reduce the availability of seabirds as food resources for many arctic communities, while reduced sea ice extent and thickness is also making it more difficult and dangerous to find and hunt for marine mammals.
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