Ice acts like a protective cover over the Earth and our oceans. These bright white spots reflect excess heat into space and keep the planet cooler. In theory, the Arctic remains colder than the equator because more of the heat from the sun is reflected off the ice back into space. On Earth, ice is changing all over. Since 1912, more than 80% of Kilimanjaro's renowned snowpack has vanished. The majority of the central and eastern Himalayan glaciers may virtually vanish by 2035, according to geologists, since glaciers in the Garhwal Himalaya in India are melting rapidly. Over the past 50 years, Arctic sea ice has shrunk dramatically, and in the last 30 years, it has shrunk by roughly 10% on average.
According to repeated laser altimeter data from NASA, the borders of the Greenland ice sheet are receding. In the Northern Hemisphere, spring freshwater ice breakdown occurs nine days earlier than it did 150 years ago, while fall freeze-up takes place ten days later. In some regions of Alaska, the ground has sunk more than 15 feet (4.6 m) due to thawing permafrost. Massive ice fields, enormous glaciers, and sea ice are rapidly disappearing from the Arctic to Peru, from Switzerland to the equatorial glaciers of Man Jaya in Indonesia. When temperatures rise, and ice melts, more water from glaciers and ice caps pours into the seas, warming and expanding the volume of the ocean. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this chain of events has significantly contributed to the average worldwide sea level rising between 10 and 20 cm during the previous 100 years (IPCC). A series of consequences result from rising sea levels. According to Bruce Douglas, a coastal researcher at Florida International University, every inch (2.5 centimeters) of sea level rise could cause the horizontal retreat of sandy beach shorelines by eight feet (2.4 meters) due to erosion. Additionally, the hazard posed by saline water intrusion into freshwater aquifers makes it difficult to raise crops and endangers sources of drinking water. Since Egypt has few other arable lands, significant erosion and seawater intrusion would be disastrous in the Nile Delta, where most of Egypt's crops are grown. The IPCC predicted in its report from 2001 that the sea level would rise by between 10 and 89 cm by the end of the century, even in the absence of such a catastrophic event.
According to Douglas, the projection's highest point—nearly three feet—would be a tragedy. Ocean currents will continue to alter weather patterns worldwide as sea ice and glaciers melt and the oceans warm. Warmer waters will alter where and when fish reproduce, which will have an impact on industries that depend on healthy fisheries. The cost of recovering from disasters will continue to run into the billions of dollars for coastal cities as storms and flooding become more regular and destructive. Others besides people are impacted. Polar bears spend more time on land in the Arctic due to melting sea ice, displacing other animals like walruses, and increasing human-bear conflict. "The ice caps are melting now. They're not going to refreeze next year just because we reduce our emissions. We're going to live in that world. So plan for it." - Ron Sims
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