Arctic life at the limit: sea ice reaches historical low!

Arctic life at the limit: sea ice reaches historical low!

Arktischer Ozean, Grönland - In 2023, the Arctic reached an alarming new deep stamp in terms of sea ice surface. According to Oe24.at a maximum sea ice area of ​​only 14.33 million square kilometers was measured on March 22, 2023. This is the lowest value that has been recorded over 40 years ago since the satellite records began. The previous negative record dates from 2017 when the maximum area was 14.41 million square kilometers.

The Arctic usually reaches its greatest extent in March, but the current decline in ice cover makes it clear how much climate change has already progressed. Another alarming fact is that in February 2023 the EU-Erd observation program Copernicus reported a sea ice area that was eight percent below the average, and the global sea ice layer at a record low of 16.04 million square kilometers melted.

a worrying trend

The decline in sea ice has serious effects on global weather conditions, ecosystems and humanity. Sea ice cream reflects sunlight, while the darker surface of the sea absorbs it, which further increases global warming. A study of the fona.de points out that the past and winter were extremely warm in parts of the Arctic, which were up to 16 degrees Celsius above the long-term means. These changes in sea ice are considered one of the main causes for the currently increased heating rate.

Scientists have found that the lower sea ice cover in summer leads to faster warming of the sea water and that the ice formation in autumn results. The thinner ice shield melts faster and earlier, which lays a dangerous vicious circle. Climate models predict a complete freedom from sea ice during the summer months in the second half of this century.

global effects and geopolitical risks

The global effects of the ice melt cannot be overlooked. In addition to the drastic reduction in the crowds, such as Environmental Bundesamt.de , these changes lead to a more intensive increase in value and new geopolitical challenges. The melt creates new shipping routes in the Arctic, and raw material deposits in regions such as Greenland could be more easily developed.

The human -caused greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of this dramatic development. The concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) climbed to 419 ppm or 1,940 ppb by 2023. The global surface temperature has risen by more than 1.3 ° C since 1880, and the last ten years in the northern hemisphere have been the warmest for over 125,000 years.

The transition from year -round ice cover to seasonal ice cover is not just a scientific theory, but an actual reality that will show serious consequences in the coming years and decades.