Polar ice and climate change - Research Paper Example

This is especially so with the ever increasing rate of melting attributed to the environmental degradation. For years, scientists have had their eyes set on the world’s ice shields hoping to monitor changes with the advancements in technological systems. Global temperatures indicated a downward trend in the period from 1940 to 1970, but increased gradually in 1980s. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increase of the amount of sunlight that hits the snow and ice in these regions. As such, various reports have illustrated an accelerated rate of melting raising the sea levels at an alarming state.

For instance, a survey done every September to ascertain the area covered by sea ice demonstrates an average decrease at a rate of 8.6% between the years of 1979 and 2007 (Thompson and Kuo, 2012).However, there was a significant loss of sea-ice placed at 24% in the 2007 alone. Various scientists have voiced concerns based on these and current findings that corroborate the eminent danger of melting ice caps and rising sea levels. Extrapolations of existing data suggest that thermal expansion and ice sheet changes will dominate the processes affecting the sea level (Ward, 2003).

Similarly, areas that are marginally glaciated are most likely to be ice-free, which will eventually lead to the disappearance of the Polar Regions. . This is because these gases increase temperature of the atmosphere near the earth and its troposphere; resulting in corresponding changes in climatic conditions. Fundamentally, the dangers associated with global warming are erratic changes in the weather, which are experienced in extremity, causing persistent natural disasters and extinction of species.

In essence, the continual warming trend has been broken down to climatic change, which refers to the measurable effects of global warming. These measurable effects refer to shifts in major aspects of the climate that is, rainfall, temperature, snow, and wind patterns. With this differentiation, global warming is identified as a long-term reference of the effects of these shifts in climatic conditions. Notably also, ocean currents are included as an aspect that facilitates the continual warming trend.

Currently, environmental degradation is an issue that requires immediate action because of the escalating rate at which it has been occurring, making it hard for the ecosystem to convalesce. Pollution is considered as the major cause of ozone layer depletion owing to the release of chlorofluorocarbons that rise into the troposphere causing its depletion (Fahey and Hegglin, 2010). Industrial processes and automobiles are responsible for the release and as such, governments have been asked to tax the companies for the emissions.

In addition, the destruction of tropical rainforests by logging industries has resulted in destruction of natural habitats of plants and animals, which increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The destruction of habitats interferes with photosynthetic organisms that are responsible for carbon-fixing cycle, which seeks to relieve the greenhouse effect. In