Lesson 4 Our Planet Under the

Weather The West Antarctic Ice Sheet

The Global Crisis of Climate Change Since the 1970s, warming ocean waters have melted

It should be troubling enough that temperatures are a significant part of the ice in the Amundsen Sea in

rising and glaciers are melting. Each year, mankind the Southern Ocean ― so much that the collapse of

faces the serious realities of climate change, from a far greater mass of ice may be inevitable. Scientists

stronger storms to severe heat waves, turning up from NASA and elsewhere believe that the melting of

everywhere in the world. Antarctic ice will eventually cause sea levels to rise
In order to tackle these problems, world leaders
16 feet. This will flood regions of the world that are
from every nation and region reached a
home to hundreds of millions of people.
climate-change agreement in Paris on December 12,

2015. The historic agreement established a target of

Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier ― comparable in size to
keeping the rise in temperature at no higher than
the Korean peninsula ― has shrunk substantially in
2℃ above pre-industrial levels worldwide. In case you
recent decades. Thwaites and the melting of another
are wondering about the significance of this goal,
nearby glacier are already causing a modest amount
you need to consider the fact that the difference
of sea level rise. The problem is that once Thwaites
between today's average global temperature and the
melts completely, it would weaken other parts of the
average global temperature during the last Ice Age is

only about 5℃. Average global temperatures are West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which will trigger a far

already 1.5℃ higher than they were at the start of more massive melt. Particularly worrying is that

the 20th century and have risen about 1℃ just in glaciers in this region lack thick ice shelves to block

the last 30 years. In other words, a further change of ice flow. This means that when ice shelves lose mass,

1 or 2℃ in the global temperature will make a big they lose the ability to hold those glaciers back from

difference in our lives. their march to the sea, which accelerates sea level

After almost a year-long process of political deals

rise. No one can say for sure how much time we
and international negotiations, the agreement has
have to fight rising temperatures in order to slow
finally entered into force on November 4, 2016, with
down this process.
more than 55 countries representing 55 percent of

global emissions ratifying the agreement. As the

world is now ready to take action, scientists have

identified some of the most urgent problems of

climate disaster that we need to combat globally.

Melting Permafrost Spreading Infectious Diseases

On the opposite side of the globe, there is another In 1999, the West Nile virus, which originated in

serious issue, but this one remains buried Uganda, had more victims than ever because it was

underground ― at least for now. Permafrost, the icy able to spread extensively throughout the world. The

frozen layer of plants and grass found throughout spread of the infection was blamed on an explosive

the Arctic, has kept billions of tons of carbon growth of the mosquito population as it is the sole

trapped for thousands of years. But as Arctic sea ice carrier of the virus. In 2014, another mosquito-borne

melts in summer, its blinding whiteness is no longer virus, called chikungunya, which means "bending over

there to reflect the sun's rays. Instead, the dark in pain" in the Makonde language of East Africa,

ocean surface absorbs more light and heat. That struck 11 Florida residents before spreading to other

warmth speeds up the melting of permafrost from states of the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. In

Siberia to Alaska's Brooks Range. When that each case, the virus to blame had not previously

permafrost melts, the underlying plants decompose, been reported in the affected area.

releasing carbon dioxide and methane in great

quantities that can worsen climate change. That, in There is little debate among scientists in targeting

turn, will melt more permafrost, and release even global warming as the main reason behind more

more greenhouse gases! frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases around the

Scientists recently revealed that Alaska alone could world in recent decades. They argue that a small

lose 24 percent of its permafrost by 2100. Some increase in temperature can result in the increased

suspect that in the worst case scenario, 70 percent development, incubation, and replication of

of the Arctic's permafrost could vanish. That act pathogens. The rise in temperature not only causes

alone could release 20 to 100 times more CO₂ than the population growth of virus-carrying insects and

the United States burns in a year. other organisms but also lengthens the transmission

season when these creatures remain active. A longer

warm-weather season and changing rainfall patterns

are allowing the harmful creatures to thrive for

longer periods each year ― and to simultaneously

move into broader areas.

Altered Ocean Food Webs Why We Should Act Now!

Temperature is not the only problem. Oceans The big risks and overall effects of global warming

absorb about a quarter of the carbon dioxide we are far more immediate and devastating than

release into the atmosphere, which acidifies marine scientists once thought. This is because global

habitats. The altered chemistry of the sea influences warming is not just about melting ice, threatened

how ocean animals see, hear, and smell, and animal species, and plant growth. It directly causes

eventually makes it difficult for them to find prey many human problems, such as hunger, disease,

and to survive. mass migration, and war.

Equally troubling is that waters increasingly hold too One good thing to come out of this frightening

little calcium carbonate, which shelled creatures need scenario is the realization that we are all in it

to develop and grow. Scientists expected this together, united by this global crisis that does not
problem to arise as a serious problem later this
exclude any nation or region. It is this sense of
century, but it is already occurring; it is harming
global solidarity, beyond local borders and national
oysters in the globe's northern waters, threatening
interests, that is the ultimate strength of the planet
king crabs in Alaska, and damaging sea snails in
and that can bring about a dramatic turnaround.
Antarctica. In fact, this problem could affect 30
While the Paris agreement is the first important step
percent of surface waters in southern oceans in just
into the long fight against climate change, we should
45 years ― 70 percent by century's end.
also act now. Only by standing united can we
Meanwhile, the rise of ocean temperature has
confidently believe that the simple steps you, your
already damaged the food web in Alaska. In the
friends, and your family take in your household and
Bering Sea, the population of pollock ― a 500
workplace will make a difference, since these actions
million-dollar fishing industry that supplies white
are multiplied by millions of people all over the
meat for everything from frozen fish sticks to fish
world.
sandwiches ― is shrinking significantly. The

less-nutritious plankton that is suddenly the only

thing left for young fish to eat does not make them

healthy enough to survive cold winters. As a result,

up to 40 percent fewer adult fish are around to

catch or to serve as food for other marine life. Some

observers already fear oceanic changes are pushing

sea life toward mass extinction.

Read Additional

The Great Promise for a Better Future

It also is the first time that all developing and
On December 12, the 2015 United Nations Climate
developed countries have agreed to limit their future
Change Conference in Paris ended with the first
emissions. Previously, developing countries such as
climate change agreement in which the
China, the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter,
representatives of all 195 nations agreed to reduce
were under no such obligation to reduce greenhouse
greenhouse gas emissions. The deal comes after
gas emissions. In the past, restraining global warming
more than 20 years of deliberations following the
had not been a top priority for many countries, since
1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
they were more concerned about economic and
(UNFCCC), which set goals and procedures for
technological progress, which was generally based on
nations to reduce carbon emissions.
fossil-fuel consumption. South Korea has also joined

this global effort by proposing a target to cut its

The agreement took an approach different from the
emissions to around 4% below 2005 levels by 2030.
ones that have been tried in past deals and treaties.
As the seventh largest emitter in the world, South
Rather than imposing fixed plans on all the nations,
Korea is an important player: it is part of an
it asked each nation to submit its own greenhouse
emerging group of countries that are outlining their
gas-reduction plan.
post-2020 climate targets.

Another key aspect is the obligation to submit these

plans for review every five years. An international

team of experts and scientists will periodically make

sure that each nation is making progress towards

greenhouse gas reduction according to its plan. The

ultimate goal of the Paris Agreement is for nations

to reduce emissions to keep global warming below

the 2.0 degrees Celsius mark.