Why are the arctic ice caps melting?
Due to global warming, the Arctic ice caps are melting, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The burning of fossil fuels and other human activities lead to the emission of greenhouse gases which, in effect, causes the planet to heat up and the ice caps to melt.EffectsAccording to the NRDC, temperatures in the Arctic are rising at tremendous rates, causing the ice to melt.FunctionThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that this increase is caused by greenhouse gases. As we produce more of these gases, heat becomes trapped in the atmosphere, rather than going out into space. Besides heating the Arctic, this trapped heat also disrupts weather patterns.ConsiderationsAs the ice caps melt, the entire planet begins to heat up. The Arctic ice caps act as a cooling agent for the rest of the planet and as they shrink, so does the planet’s ability to regulate temperature, according to the EPA.Ward Hunt Ice ShelfIn 2000, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf began to crack.
