Climate Crisis in Antarctica
What's happening? The polar regions are the first to be affected by the heating climate, and dramatic changes are already underway in Antarctica. Floating ice shelves are melting rapidly, raising concerns about sudden, uncontrollable sea level rise. The Antarctic Peninsula, a popular tourist destination, is one of the most rapidly warming places in the Southern Hemisphere, with average summer temperatures increasing by over 5°F (3°C) between 1970 and 2020. Since the 1970s the Southern Ocean has absorbed as much as 75 percent of the excess heat created by humans, and 40 percent of the carbon dioxide. Warmer, more acidic oceans are already impacting Antarctic ecosystems, with many penguin colonies shrinking, and in some cases disappearing altogether. The impacts Antarctica and its ice, ocean and ecosystems play a critical role in regulating the global climate. Together they help slow global heating, drive i...