What Are the Dangers of Ice Caps Melting into the Waters?
Ice caps are dome-shaped glaciers covering an area of 19,300 square miles or less. Iceland, Norway and some islands in the Arctic contain ice caps. During the modern era, an increase in the average temperatures around the globe has led to a noticeable melting of ice caps and glaciers, according to a 2007 study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These receding ice levels affect the environment of the entire planet. Rising Sea Levels Water from melting ice caps leads to rising sea levels across the globe. Oceans encroach on coastal areas, resulting in land loss. The rising water levels erode beaches, swamp wetlands, increase the salinity of rivers and groundwater tables, and intensify the impact of flooding during storms in these low-lying areas. Since many cities and towns are built along the coastlines of every continent, the receding land mass and resulting flooding decrease the amount of living space in these settlements. Warm Ocean Water As the amount of ice de
