Causes of Arctic Warming

August 19, 2022

Researchers from Finnish Meteorological institute published their research regarding Arctic warming on August 11, 2022. As per the research, Arctic is heating up four times faster than other parts of the Earth. Heating is more concentrated in Eurasian part of the Arctic. In this part, Barents Sea and Norway are heating up seven times faster than Earth’s average. In last 43 years, Arctic region has heated up 3.8 times faster than the planet.

Highlights:

These findings reveal that; people, animals and plants in polar regions are experiencing rapid climate change.
Findings focus on period between 1979-2021.
Arctic region is more sensitive to global warming and it is likely that, the region is heating up even more quickly than predicted by computer models.
Heat waves in the far North region have caused wildfires and ice melt in circumpolar region including Arctic Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, Greenland, and Siberia.

The Arctic Circle is mostly ocean. It used to be frozen for most of the year. However, ice is steadily shrinking. The region is heating faster than other parts of the Earth. This is because;

Changes in amount of air pollution that is coming from Europe
Natural multi-decade climate variations
Human-led global warming
Ice albedo feedback and lapse rate feedback
Melting of sea ice

According to researchers, melting of ice is resulting into more open water. As a result, Arctic region is getting capable of absorbing more solar radiation and getting warmer. Ice-albedo feedback is responsible for 40% of polar amplification while lapse rate feedback is responsible for 15% of polar amplification. Arctic Warming is also affecting India, by increasing sea level along the Indian coast.

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