THE EFFECTS OF

GLOBAL WARMING ON
THE ARCTIC.
Jodie Parsons

WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

Global warming is the gradual heating of the
Earths surface, oceans and atmosphere.
A rise in the average temperatures
worldwide since the late 1800s has been
documented.
Earths average temperature has risen by
1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past
century according to EPA.
Temperatures are predicted to rise another
2-11 degrees F over the next 100 years.
97% of climate scientists all agree that
global warming is not a natural occurrence
and is primarily the result of human
activity.

Image shows the increase in temperatures

from 1950 to 2013.
Gifbin.com, (2016). [online] Available at:
http://www.gifbin.com/bin/012014/1392659515_six_decade
s_of_global_warming.gif [Accessed 28 Feb. 2016].

HOW DOES GLOBAL WARMING

OCCUR?

The Greenhouse
Effect

The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring

phenomenon that keeps Earths surface and atmosphere at
a comfortable, life-sustaining temperature

(LiveScience.com, 201

HOW ARE HUMANS AFFECTING

GLOBAL WARMING?
Scientists have concluded that most of the observed
warming is due to the burning of coal, oil and gas.
The burning of these is adding more greenhouse gases into
the atmosphere
This leads to the heat becoming trapped by these gases
( such as CO2) in the atmosphere, thus the amount of heat
that can escape is reduced.
Clouds and the ice caps generally radiate some heat back
into space

The image shows how we use

coal to produce power, but also
shows the release of unused
gases into the atmosphere

THE EFFECTS OF BURNING FOSSIL

FUELS
One gallon of petrol, when burned puts
19 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere.
(Nwf.org, 2016)

Since the industrial revolution, it is

estimated that roughly 500 billion tons
of CO2 has been emitted, half of which
remains in the atmosphere (Nwf.org,
2016)

The IPCC reported in 2014 that scientists

are 95% certain that the increasing
concentrations of CO2 are causing the
earths surface temperature to increase

(Wikipedia, 2016)

HOW IS GLOBAL WARMING

The arctic is the relating regions around the north pole. The
AFFECTING
ARCTIC
Arctic THE
region consists
of a vast ocean with seasonally varying

ice cover. The warmest month is in July and reaches around

10 degrees Celsius.
Arctic Circle (Americanpolar.org, 2016)

The Arctic is highly sensitive and is being

affected by climate change.

Average temperatures in the arctic are rising

twice as fast as they are elsewhere in the
world
Arctic ice is getting thinner, melting and
rupturing

For example: The largest single block of ice in the

Arctic called the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf , has been
around for 3000 years, in 2000 it started

cracking.

CURRENT FIGURES
Images from NASA satellites show the ice cover is contracting at a
rate of 9% per decade, if this continues, summer in the Arctic
could be ice free by the end of the century. (Climate Change: Vital Signs
of the Planet, 2016)

Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet, 2016)

Extraordinary melting of the sea ice in the

Arctic.
In 2012 set a record of all-time low sea ice
extend.
The National Snow and Ice data centre shows a

SEA ICE GRAPHS

Image shows the shrinking of

the arctic ice since 1979.
(Nrdc.org, 2016)
Total extent of sea ice on an area with 15% ice
covarge
(Ocean.dmi.dk, 2016)

COMPARISON

Latest figures of Sea ice thickness shows how thick

the ice is at the present moment
28-feb 2004

(Polarportal.dk, 2016)

EFFECTS OF MELTING ARCTIC ICE

Lost sea ice exposes dark open waters, which
dramatically shifts the oceans surface from
highly reflective to one that absorbs the suns
energy. This leads to further warming.

Polar creatures such as polar bears depend on

the ice. Some creatures depend on the ice for
all their life cycle. In the arctic polar bears are
having to swim greater distances in open
water to hunt.

Threats to indigenous ways of life.

Security concerns from new shipping routes

Shoreline erosion in Arctic

(Polaricecapsmelting.com, 2016)

POLAR BEARS
Polar bears live in the arctic region. 60% of polar
bears live in Canada
They hunt mainly seals
Commercial and sport hunting was a major threat to
polar bears in the 1960s and 1970s
In 1973 an Agreement on the conservation of polar
bears was signed.
Today the primary conservation concern for polar
bears is habitat loss and reduced access to prey due
to climate change.
Other challenges include pollution, disease and
inadequate habitat protection. (Polarbearsinternational.org,
2016)

CURRENT POLAR BEAR POPULATION

(Polarbearsinternational.org, 2016)
The most recent IUCN report estimates there are
roughly26,000 polar bears.Scientists base this
estimate on the best available information,
combined with expert opinions on those
populations that lack current data.
Conservation status
TheIUCN lists the polar bear as a vulnerable
species, citing sea ice losses from climate
change as the single biggest threat to polar bear
survival. Polar bears rely on the sea ice to hunt,
travel, breed, and sometimes to den.
At their 2014 meeting, the
IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group,reported
Image
polar bear populations
that shows
of thewhere
19 populations
of polar bears:
are declining and increasing

CONSERVATION PLANS
The survival and the protection of the polar bear habitat are
urgent issues for WWF.
They are listed as a threatened species in the US under the
Endangered Species Act in May 2008.
WWF is helping Polar Bears by raising the awareness of the
threats of climate change and helping to conserve the arctic
regions rich biodiversity. They are also working with
communities to help cut global greenhouse gas emissions and
encouraging a switch to renewable energy.
WWF also funds research into the arctic region. (Wwf.org.uk,
2016)
A IUCN specialist has quoted The best estimate we have got is
we will probably lose around two thirds of the worlds polar bears
around mid century if the loss of sea-ice keeps declining
(Bbc.co.uk, 2016)

REFERENCES
Americanpolar.org, (2016). Interactive Polar Data Maps The American Polar Society. [online] Available at:
http://www.americanpolar.org/polar-compendium/polar-data-map/ [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Bbc.co.uk, (2016). BBC Nature - Polar bear videos, news and facts. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Polar_bear
[Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].

Gifbin.com, (2016). [online] Available at:

http://www.gifbin.com/bin/012014/1392659515_six_decades_of_global_warming.gif [Accessed 28 Feb. 2016].
Americanpolar.org, (2015). Events The American Polar Society. [online] Available at:
http://www.americanpolar.org/news/events/ [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Nrdc.org.uk, (2016). About NRDC - NRDC. [online] Available at: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/?page_id=5 [Accessed 29 Feb.
2016].
Ocean.dmi.dk, (2016). Ocean and Ice Services | Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut. [online] Available at:
http://ocean.dmi.dk/english/index.php [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].

LiveScience.com, (2016). What Is the Greenhouse Effect?. [online] Available at:

http://www.livescience.com/37743-greenhouse-effect.html [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Polarbearsinternational.org, (2016). Polar Bear Status Report | Polar Bears International. [online] Available at:
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/status-and-threats/polar-bear-status-report [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Polaricecapsmelting.com, (2012). | Polar Ice Caps Melting. [online] Available at: http://polaricecapsmelting.com/
[Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Polaricecapsmelting.com, (2016). The Effects of Polar Ice Caps Melting |. [online] Available at:
http://polaricecapsmelting.com/the-effects-of-polar-ice-caps-melting/ [Accessed 29 Feb. 2016].
Wwf.org.uk, (2016). Polar bears. [online] Available at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/wildlife/polar_bear/ [Accessed 29 Feb.
2016].