[PDF] political impact of melting arctic ice

What causes ice to melt in the Arctic?

What causes Arctic ice to melt? Melting ice speeds up climate change. Global warming is causing Arctic ice to melt – ice reflects sunlight, while water absorbs it. When the Arctic ice melts, the oceans around it absorb more sunlight and heat up, making the world warmer as a result.

How does Arctic ice melting affect the environment?

Arctic sea ice helps to regulate the climate by keeping it cool. As this sea ice melts, heat from the sun is absorbed by the oceans – instead of being reflected into space – contributing to warming oceans, water expansion and jet stream changes. Even small temperature changes in the Arctic can drastically effect weather all over the world.

What will happen if the Arctic ice melts?

What happens if Arctic ice melts? “If all the ice covering Antarctica , Greenland, and in mountain glaciers around the world were to melt, sea level would rise about 70 meters (230 feet). The ocean would cover all the coastal cities. And land area would shrink significantly,” the Museum of Natural History site reads.

Why does Arctic sea ice melt so quickly?

Why is Arctic ice melting so fast? Right now, it's cold in the Arctic. Days are dark, and ice grows to cover the dark sea. Come summer, lengthening days and warming temperatures will reverse that ...