How will melting ice affect the world around us?
Sea levels will rise. Low-lying land will experience erosion and become submerged, and coastal areas will experience more flooding during storm surges, with devastating consequences for the hundreds of millions of people who live near the ocean. What role do seasonal changes in snow and ice cover play in Earth’s climate? The bright white of ice and snow reflects the Sun’s radiant energy back into space. Much of this takes place at the high latitudes, where ice and snow cover builds up during the winter and shrinks during the summer. More of that cover disappears when summers are long and warm. The more ice and snow that survive the summer, the cooler Earth stays. Why is the Arctic so sensitive to climate change? The North Pole is significantly warmer than the South Pole because it’s in the middle of an ocean. Long, warm summers decrease snow and ice cover and expose the dark water, which absorbs far more solar energy. As a result, the Arctic is heating up twice as fast as the rest of t
