Arctic in Crisis
Scientists have confirmed that the Arctic is in crisis. At the current rate of warming, Arctic summers will be ice-free within five to ten years, for the first time in 65 million years. There will be enormous disruption to local communities and wildlife. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg—a melting Arctic will have dire consequences for the entire planet. Urgent action is needed to save the Arctic.
It is critical to reduce the current Arctic Regional Mean Temperature, currently +2.5°C, by one degree (-1.0°C) no later than 2015.
Area-weighted mean Observed Surface Temperatures
Annual Temperatures Increases for 2001-2005 Relative to 1951-1980
Consequences of Limiting Action to the Copenhagen Summit Targets
If the Arctic crisis is not addressed within the next 10 years, attempts to mitigate carbon dioxide and other Kyoto GHG emissions over the next 20-to-50 years will be too little too late.
Loss of the Arctic Perennial Ice Sheet
The Arctic perennial ice sheet is entering its final phase of break-up. At the current rate of melting, the ice sheet is projected to disappear by 2025 or sooner. NASA is projecting 2013.
The breakup of the ice sheet is increasingly likely as time goes on, suggesting the need for timely mitigation strategies. The likelihood of the final break-up of the Arctic Perennial Ice Sheet is summarized in the following graph, compiled from various information sources.
Regional Consequences of Arctic Meltdown
The break-up of the perennial Arctic ice sheet will result in warming the Siberian, Canadian and Arctic tundra regions as far south as 1,000 kilometers by +2°C to +3°C.
Arctic Methane Pulse: A Global Tipping Point
The arctic methane pulse represents the most likely tipping point for Arctic melting. As Arctic temperatures rise, additional methane will be released from the sea bed. This additional methane, a GHG 105 times more potent than carbon dioxide on an annual time horizon basis, may trigger a rapid temperature increase. Read the BBC News Article – Methane seeps from Arctic sea bed for more information.
Learn more about the key Arctic Pollutants
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