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【Xinhua News Agency/Geneva, February 25】 2009.02.26 12:36 pm
A "Report on the State of Polar Research" released by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science on the 25th stated that the Arctic and Antarctic regions are warming faster than previously anticipated. The resulting rapid melting of ice and snow is causing sea levels to rise and exacerbating the occurrence of extreme weather events globally.
The report, which synthesizes research findings from the "2007-2008 International Polar Year," noted that the continuous reduction of ice and snow in the polar regions is impacting human life, wildlife, and plant survival in these areas, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation. It highlighted that glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica are significantly diminishing, contributing to rising sea levels, with the rate of ice melt in parts of Greenland accelerating further.
As one of the largest ice reservoirs on Earth, Greenland serves as a critical "indicator" of climate change and is a priority research subject for climatologists. Researchers found that during the summers of 2007 and 2008, the minimum perennial ice cover in the Arctic reached its lowest level in 30 years. Scientists also recorded unprecedented rates of sea ice drift in the Arctic. Due to global warming, changes in the types and distribution of Arctic vegetation are affecting herbivores and human hunting activities.
Additionally, the impact of climate warming on the Antarctic region is far greater than expected. The warming rate of the Southern Ocean exceeds the global average. As Antarctic ice continues to melt, the seawater near the Antarctic seabed is becoming less saline, which could alter ocean currents.
Researchers have also discovered extensive carbon layers stored as methane in the permafrost of polar regions. Thawing permafrost could release this methane into the atmosphere, adding to the factors driving climate warming. Scientists have already observed significant methane emissions from marine sediments along the Siberian coast.
The "2007-2008 International Polar Year" was a two-year, multidisciplinary polar research initiative launched by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science in March 2007. The program included over 200 research projects involving scientists from more than 60 countries.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ WORLD/ WOR4/ 4757918. shtml
Polar Warming Faster Than Expected
A "Report on the State of Polar Research" released by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science on the 25th stated that the Arctic and Antarctic regions are warming faster than previously anticipated. The resulting rapid melting of ice and snow is causing sea levels to rise and exacerbating the occurrence of extreme weather events globally.
The report, which synthesizes research findings from the "2007-2008 International Polar Year," noted that the continuous reduction of ice and snow in the polar regions is impacting human life, wildlife, and plant survival in these areas, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation. It highlighted that glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica are significantly diminishing, contributing to rising sea levels, with the rate of ice melt in parts of Greenland accelerating further.
As one of the largest ice reservoirs on Earth, Greenland serves as a critical "indicator" of climate change and is a priority research subject for climatologists. Researchers found that during the summers of 2007 and 2008, the minimum perennial ice cover in the Arctic reached its lowest level in 30 years. Scientists also recorded unprecedented rates of sea ice drift in the Arctic. Due to global warming, changes in the types and distribution of Arctic vegetation are affecting herbivores and human hunting activities.
Additionally, the impact of climate warming on the Antarctic region is far greater than expected. The warming rate of the Southern Ocean exceeds the global average. As Antarctic ice continues to melt, the seawater near the Antarctic seabed is becoming less saline, which could alter ocean currents.
Researchers have also discovered extensive carbon layers stored as methane in the permafrost of polar regions. Thawing permafrost could release this methane into the atmosphere, adding to the factors driving climate warming. Scientists have already observed significant methane emissions from marine sediments along the Siberian coast.
The "2007-2008 International Polar Year" was a two-year, multidisciplinary polar research initiative launched by the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Science in March 2007. The program included over 200 research projects involving scientists from more than 60 countries.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ WORLD/ WOR4/ 4757918. shtml