climate action – Page 11 – Anne-Maria Yritys

Why Does Arctic Ice Extent Decrease?

October 30, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

Glaciers are melting, ice and snow sheets are melting, and the Arctic sea ice is melting at a rapid rate, so fast that it is estimated to disappear completely during summer months within only a few years, or by 2040. Why is this happening? According to some researchers and scientists, the Earth´s weather is being changed and manipulated on purpose through geoengineering. (GeoEngineering Watch). GeoEngineering Watch reports that for example chemical ice nucleation is an important tool for geoengineers, with geoengineered snow storms being created by experimenting human beings (geoengineers).

Whether caused by geoengineering human beings or not, it is a fact that glaciers, ice sheets, and Arctic sea ice are melting rapidly, affecting not only the climate in the large Arctic region, but all over our planet. When the ice and snow covers disappear in the Arctic, it causes permafrost to thaw and climate change accelerating faster than ever.

This is caused by the albedo effect, whereby the black ocean/sea surface absorbs increasingly much of the sun rays´ heat, unable to reflect as much of its energy and heat back into the atmosphere in comparison with thick ice and snow covered surfaces. This constantly warming climate in the Arctic region thus accelerates and accelerates, causing even more of the ice and snow covers to melt, warming the region and the whole world to an extent that has never earlier been seen in history. And, this is all anthropogenic, i.e. caused by us human beings.

How much worse is this made by and through geoengineering? This is a topic not yet much discussed. What is discussed openly today is the anthropogenic climate change caused by e.g. the release of greenhouse gases and other toxins into Earth´s atmosphere, including CO2. When climate change continues and intensifies in the Arctic region, it also causes more and more carbon dioxide and methane being released into our global atmosphere, the consequences of which lead to the greenhouse effect on our planet to become even worse.

Learn more about the Arctic sea ice decrease by watching NASA Goddard´s video “Older Arctic Sea Ice Disappearing”:

Why Are Sea Levels Rising Worldwide?

October 30, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

As scientific research evidence upon our Earth reveals, it has been estimated that sea and ocean levels will continue to rise during the 21st century. Some calculations suggest that sea levels around the world would rise by at least one (1) meter by 2100. Why is this happening?

According to NOAA National Ocean Service, sea levels are annually rising due to two reasons: 1) the accelerated and increased melting of glaciers and ice sheets (e.g. in the Arctic region); 2) the warming oceans, a consequence of our oceans absorbing most of the atmospheric heat caused by us human beings e.g. in the form of greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is this to be taken very seriously? Why should we care if and when our ocean and sea levels rise? Sea level rise should be taken very seriously. Here are some of the main reasons listed:

When ice sheets and glaciers melt, it causes not only the sea levels to rise, but affects the whole world´s climate, varying from one geographic region to another. This includes more rainfall in some regions, whereby it affects the growing of crops. This has already been identified in many countries which experiment with and invest in completely new ways of producing food, such as vertical farming. In short, vertical farming is a future way of growing certain food products, if and when these can no longer be farmed through traditional agriculture.
When ice sheets and glaciers melt, with our oceans and seas becoming warmer, extreme weather temperatures are becoming increasingly much common. Drought in extreme heat waves are examples, but also floods and hurricanes that are much more powerful than previously. Unless well-prepared, regions affected by these extreme weather events will suffer immense, both non-material and material consequences, as we have seen many times only in 2017 e.g. in Bangladesh, in the United States, and Puerto Rico. These only being some of the examples.
Perhaps one of the worst reasons we should take rising sea levels very seriously is when considering all states that are low-lying, especially low-lying island nations and low-lying coastal cities. If sea levels continue to rise at the current rate, without anything being done to a) prevent it from rising further b) protect the infrastructure and topography of these coastal cities, nations, and island nations, the consequences of sea level rise hitting these regions will be detrimental. If one geographical region becomes inhabitable due to sea level rise, all the people affected will be obliged to find new homes. This is why it is also estimated that the number of climate change refugees will grow significantly already by 2050.

As an example, learn what our world would look like if ALL the ice melted, a video published by BI Science:

What Does Thawing Permafrost Signify?

October 29, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

Anthropogenic climate change in the Arctic region includes thawing permafrost. What does that mean? Permafrost is ground with a temperature below the pressure melting point for a minimum of two years in a row. (The Norwegian Polar Institute – The Arctic System). A significant amount of journal articles about permafrost can be found e.g. at NSIDC – National Snow & Ice Data Center. Again, according to for example The Arctic System, the thickness of permafrost varies from 100 up to 500 meters in depth. During summer months in the Arctic region, the permafrost naturally thaws up to one meter, providing a basis for flora and fauna to live in.

As reported by Phys.org – Defrosting the world´s freezer – thawing permafrost, the extent of how permafrost is now thawing with the fast warming of the Arctic region, is much larger than ever before. It is estimated that the Arctic could lose up to 70 % of its permafrost within the next 100 years, moving the southern boundary for permafrost hundreds of kilometers further south, releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide into our atmosphere – the consequences of which are yet unknown.

To learn more about thawing permafrost, watch Climate State´s video Climate Change in the Arctic and Model Projections (2017):

What is The Albedo Effect?

October 28, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

To understand climate change (in the Arctic region) better, we also have to understand the scientific terminology related to anthropogenic climate change. According to a number of sources, including the Norwegian Polar Institute, the albedo effect refers to how different kinds of surfaces are able to reflect the sun´s rays, i.e. the heat from the sun.

Why this is so important in the Arctic region, including the Arctic Ocean (sea) is because when ice/snow/permafrost covers melt, this is causing additional, accelerated warming in the Arctic region. This occurs since dark surfaces absorb more of the sun´s energy (low albedo) in comparison to light surfaces. When this happens increasingly much in the Arctic region, it causes even more rapid warming which in turn leads to climate change spreading faster from the Arctic region into the rest of the world. What the consequences of these changes will be, unless we manage to halt the warming on our planet (and, especially in the Arctic region), are yet unknown.

Learn more about the albedo effect by watching e.g. following video, published by KTVL News10 – The albedo effect and warming:

Why We Must Protect The Arctic Region

October 27, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

The Arctic region consists of: The Arctic Ocean (or, sea), adjoining seas, parts of Russia, parts of U.S.A., Northern Canada, Iceland, the Faroe islands and parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland. The Arctic Ocean, or often also named the Arctic Sea due to its size and junction to the Atlantic and the Pacific in the north. Of all the world´s oceans, it is the smallest and shallowest. See a map here: North Pole Arctic Map – World Atlas.

The whole Arctic region, including the previously mentioned sea and land areas, are home to millions of people and thousands of species, some of which already are under serious threat of extinction (due to climate change and warming), including polar bears, pacific walruses, and several seal species. (Center for Biological Diversity).

Previously covered 100% by thick sea ice throughout the whole year, the Arctic ocean has in the past decades warmed so much that it is now already partly open during summer months. It is estimated that the Arctic ocean will be completely ice free during summer months within a few years only, or the latest by 2040. Why is this a problem?

The problem with the Arctic ocean, and the Arctic region warming, include:

Arctic species, flora and fauna, suffering from the warming temperature, having to adjust to completely new circumstances.
When the Arctic region warms at least double as fast as the rest of the world, this has in/direct impacts upon our whole planet. When the Arctic ocean becomes open, it warms even faster and causes ocean currents in the whole world´s oceans to change, the (upcoming) impacts of which are yet mostly unknown.
The large land masses in Siberia, much of which is under permafrost, are thawing due to the climate warming. This includes many risks, such as heavy amounts of methane being released into our atmosphere, with methane being a powerful greenhouse gas that changes the Earth´s atmosphere.
The Arctic region is home to some of the Earth´s largest natural resources, such as oil and gas. Some countries are more than willing to exploit these resources, in addition to the fact that some countries see an open Arctic ocean as a means to save e.g. transportation costs from one country to another, without caring about the fragile Arctic ecosystem and the environmental damages caused by human activities.

Listen to artist and musician Ludovico Einaudi´s brave “Elegy for the Arctic” – Official Live (Greenpeace) and tune into the Arctic ocean´s atmosphere here:

Why is the Melting of Arctic Sea Ice Dangerous?

October 26, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

According to research evidence, the fast melting of the Arctic ice sheet will soon lead to the Arctic ocean in the northern hemisphere being completely ice free during summer months. Why is this a problem, and what are the consequences of the Arctic ice sheets melting?

When ice sheets break and melt, it causes (hazardous) waves in the ocean
The melting of the Arctic ocean ice sheets influences and changes global weather patterns, and affects for example the jet stream, which in turn causes increasingly many extreme weather events such as stronger hurricanes, floods and droughts around the world. Some regions worldwide consequently suffer from more severe heatwaves while others become colder.
When the ice sheets melt, they are being replaced by thinner ice sheets that are very saline. The young, thin ice sheets also play a significant role in how carbon dioxide (CO2) moves through the system, with CO2 being one of the major problematic greenhouse gases that are warming our planet.
When snow fall on the young, thin ice sheets, this snow prevents the new, young ice sheets from growing thicker, resulting in the ice sheets becoming thinner each year.
The sea ice in the Arctic is as important to the region as trees are to (tropical) forests. The changes in the sea ice in the Arctic affects everything in its marine ecosystem.
Although the ice is decreasing in the region, it has become more hazardous. The faster the ice sheets move in the Arctic, the more dangerous they become.
When the north pole (and Arctic Ocean) loses its ice sheet, the ocean becomes open, losing its heat to the atmosphere (breaking down of the Polar Vortex).

(TEDx Talks. Seven surprising results from the reduction of Arctic Sea ice Cover/David Barber/TEDxUManitoba).

Watch YaleClimateConnections video “Arctic Sea Ice 2016” to learn more about the topic:

Heavy Metals & POPs Concerning Pollutants in the Arctic Region

October 26, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

What causes environmental damage in the Arctic? According to ACIA (ACIA Scientific Report 2005, Cambridge University Press), heavy metals and POP´s are especially concerning pollutants in the Arctic region. Especially damaging heavy metals include in the Arctic region include mercury, cadmium and lead (AMAP 2002: Arctic Pollution Issues: A State of the Arctic Environment Report; McConnell* Joseph R. and Edwards Ross. PNAS 2008. vol. 105 no. 34 – Coal burning leaves toxic heavy metal legacy in the Arctic), sources of which were largely unknown until the 1980´s when modern measurements started. Today it is known that industrial activities, including coal burning, emit toxic heavy metals that travel through the atmosphere, ending up deposited in the polar regions (McConnell* Joseph R. and Edwards Ross. PNAS 2008. vol. 105 no. 34).

POP´s (Persistent Organic Pollutants) in the Arctic region, on the other hand, transported through the atmosphere through a number of ways, e.g. air and water, are toxic chemicals that pose severe risks to both human health and the environment worldwide. (The Arctic Institute 2016. Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Arctic – Infographic). Furthermore, according to the Arctic Institute, these POP´s (e.g. PCBs, DDT and dioxins) are especially dangerous due to their persistence and longevity in the environment, posing risks not only to our environment in general, but to the whole food chain. Most of the POP´s originate not from the Arctic but from industrial processes such as municipal and medical waste. (The Arctic Institute 2016. Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Arctic – Infographic).

Learn more about Heavy Metals in the Environment – NRES Seminar Series (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Secondary Major at Kansas State University):

The Arctic Climate is Warming Dangerously Quickly

October 25, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

Arctic (2)

The Arctic climate is warming quickly, at least twice as fast as the climate in the rest of the world. Especially winters are becoming warmer, but the overall effect on the Arctic (and, global) environment is throughout the year. Temperature fluctuations are normal from year to year, however, research-based evidence proves that there are significant changes (i.e. warming) in the average temperatures in the Arctic region. Some may think that warming of the (Arctic) climate is a positive thing, but in reality, it is not.

Why is Arctic warming a major risk not only for the Arctic region, but for the whole world? The warming of the Arctic region poses several serious risks, including:

When the Greenland ice sheet melts, we lose majority of the Earth´s fresh water resources. In addition, sea levels rise and the Arctic (and, the whole world) warms at an even faster rate due to the sun´s rays and heat being absorbed increasingly powerfully by the (Arctic) ocean, which in turn ultimately leads to rising ocean temperatures. The overall rise in ocean temperature has been proven to cause stronger and more extreme hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
The warming of the Arctic and its oceans leads to risks for all flora and fauna in the Arctic region, including species that need the ice cover, such as polar bears. While being home to thousands of species, the Arctic species are under completely new threats due to the warming climate, loss of ice and snow sheets.
A major threat of Arctic warming includes the thawing permafrost, which currently covers an unknown amount of decayed plants and animals. When these come in contact with air (when the permafrost melts), the risks of diseases and greenhouse gases (especially methane) spreading increase manifold.

Watch Yorkshire Wildlife Park´s video “Polar Bears & Climate Change”:

Changes In Temperature & Storm Patterns Affecting The Arctic Life

October 25, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

The Arctic region, including the Arctic sea, adjoining seas, Northern Canada, parts of the U.S.A., parts of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, The Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland, is warming at a rate much faster than the rest of our world, despite of the fact that according to geoscientists, we are currently living in an ice age. The Arctic warms at an alarming rate, with up to twice as fast as the rest of our planet.

In Celsius degrees, we are talking about an increased rate of at least several degrees Celsius within the past century, from the beginning of the industrialized era, with research evidence upon the fact that this warming has been caused by human activities only – mainly the burning of fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases into Earth´s atmosphere. By releasing these greenhouse gases into Earth´s atmosphere, us human beings have built an artificial greenhouse effect on our planet, causing Earth to warm at unhealthy rates, ultimately leading to disastrous risks that will affect all of humanity, and, our flora and fauna upon Earth.

The problem with the fast warming of the Arctic region is that majority of the world´s fresh water resources are melting in Greenland, into salty oceans that causes sea level rise. And, unnecessarily wasting our planet´s already scarce fresh water resources. Another problem, and major risk to all life on Earth, is the melting of the sea ice. Huge areas of sea ice has already melt away, causing the Arctic to become completely ice free during summer months in near future. When this happens, the ice free ocean surface in the Arctic absorbs increasingly much of the sun´s energy and heat, causing our planet to warm at an even faster rate.

Let alone the fact that when Arctic regions warm, permafrost thaws, exposing decayed plants and animals which release further greenhouse gases into our atmosphere – especially methane, which is at least 25 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide. And, the thawing, decayed animals pose another risk of setting free (yet unknown) diseases. Is this the future we want for our planet? A melting, warming Arctic that causes the rest of the world to suffer from its effects?

Watch Climate State´s video “Climate Change in the Arctic and Model Projections 2017”:

What is Arctic Climate Change?

October 24, 2017January 4, 2018 by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Change Leadership, climate action, climate leadership, Global Climate Change

Arctic (1)

According to research-based evidence, climate change in the Arctic is at least twice as fast as elsewhere on Earth. Numerous organizations and think tanks have internalized this long ago, and work effortlessly to create awareness about what Arctic climate change is, and how it (possibly) affects the rest of the world. Objective sources of media also dedicate more time, and create extra space for bringing these findings into the public, which is of course of great significance to every citizen.

Arctic climate change, naturally, is anthropogenic climate change occurring in the world´s northernmost region, the Arctic, including the Arctic ocean, adjoining seas, Northern Canada, Greenland, parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, The Faroe Islands and even parts of the United States of America. Since the Arctic acts as a “refrigerator” for the rest of the world, Arctic climate change and warming, including melting of ice sheets and permafrost, is particularly hazardous and involves a number of partly yet unknown risks.

When the Arctic warms, it of course affects local flora, fauna, and all the livelihood in the region. Sea and lake levels rise, snowfall becomes different, weather patterns in general less predicable, all of which causes changes in the Arctic environments. The rapid changes in the Arctic region also affect the rest of the world: e.g. the melting of ice sheets causes rise in sea levels, increases the amount of floods, and even increases the amount of rainfall in parts of the world. Melting permafrost, on the other hand, increases the risks of additional greenhouse gases, especially methane, being released into Earth´s atmosphere, when decayed plants and animals unfreeze from below the permafrost. The risks of thawing permafrost also includes the release of bacteria and diseases.

Watch the Ocean Scientists “Arctic Ocean Climate Change Impacts” to learn more about what Arctic climate change signifies:

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