Day 14 – Q 1.Examine the role of the Antarctic region in global climate. What are the challenges posed by climate change to this region? What will be its fallouts? Discuss.
1. Examine the role of the Antarctic region in global climate. What are the challenges posed by climate change to this region? What will be its fallouts? Discuss.
वैश्विक जलवायु में अंटार्कटिक क्षेत्र की भूमिका की जांच करें। इस क्षेत्र में जलवायु परिवर्तन से उत्पन्न चुनौतियां क्या हैं? इसके प्रभाव क्या होंगे? चर्चा करें।
Approach:
- Introduction
- Role of the Antartica region in global climate.
- Challenges posed by climate change to this region and fallouts.
- Conclusion
Introduction:
Antarctica is a unique part of the Earth’s climate machine. It stores most of the world’s freshwater and generates large amounts of sea ice. The presence of the high ice sheet and the polar location make Antarctica a powerful heat sink that strongly affects the climate of the whole Earth.
Role of the Antartica region in global climate:
The vast ice-bound expanses of Antarctica serve as a global thermostat, regulating the world’s climate system.
The white ice cover cools the atmosphere through the albedo effect, whereas the dark sea surface absorbs heat from the sun and plays a crucial role in the ocean’s heat budget.
Cold surface water with high salinity plunges to the depths, driving the ocean currents that transport heat from one part of the earth to another. The Southern Ocean takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus playing an important part in the carbon cycle.
Challenges posed by climate change to this region and fallouts:
- When global warming melts sea ice, Earth becomes a better absorber of heat, which encourages further warming. This is a form of positive feedback: warming causing further warming.
- The Antarctic ice sheet contains sufficient ice to raise world-wide sea level by more than 60 meters if melted completely.
- Antarctic species are dramatically impacted by climate as well. Species like Krill and Adélie penguin populations are on decline.
- Since Antarctica is a big place, climate change is not having a uniform impact, with some areas experiencing increases in sea ice extent. Yet in others, sea ice is decreasing, with measurable impacts on wildlife.
Way ahead:
To tackle the issue of Antarctic climate change we need to ensure following-
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Implementation of climate adaptation strategies.
- Promotion of globally important climate science: Policy based on the findings of the research conducted by Antarctic researchers.
- Designation of marine protected areas: Protecting large areas from fishing and pollution will provide refuges for vulnerable species whose habitat may be changing dramatically. The Ross Sea, an area that is expected to warm more slowly than the rest of the Antarctic, is a particularly important area for focus.
Conclusion:
Understanding climate change impacts on Antarctica is a matter of critical importance for the world and for the continent itself. Given that Antarctica is one of the regions of the world where the impacts of climate change are most apparent and pronounced, Antarctic Treaty Parties should lead by example in the global effort in addressing climate change.
Best answer: Bob
