Sea Ice
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Climate change has had a major effect on arctic sea ice. The increase in temperature in the Arctic has doubled the rest of the world, causing the ice in the Arctic seas to melt at dramatic rates.
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If the current rate of ice melt continues at 12%, the Arctic will not have any ice by 2030.
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Winter temperatures are rising at a higher rate than in the summer, and should continue to do so. Some of this melting is natural, however, the burning of fossil fuels has hastened the process.
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Arctic sea ice does its part to cool the earth by reflecting radiation from the Sun. Snow-covered sea ice reflects about 90% of the Sun’s radiation, while the surface of the ocean, i.e. water or melted ice, reflects only 10%.
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When Arctic ice melts, less of the substance is reflecting the majority of radiation from the Sun, and more of it in its melted state is reflecting less radiation from the Sun, which creates a warmer Arctic region, and a warmer global climate overall.
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The climate change crisis has resulted in a 4-6 degree heat increase in the last 10 years.
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Greenland’s ice sheet has enough water to raise the sea level by 20 feet if it melts due to increased temperatures.
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Weather patterns are also affected by ice melt. Loss of ice in the Arctic can change weather and precipitation patterns, causing more intense and more frequently occurring droughts in the United States.
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In other parts of the world, the changes in jet stream ice melt threatens to result in stronger monsoons and change in the re curvature of hurricanes.
