2406In early September of 2020, an expansive portion of a glacier of approximately 42.3 square miles and nearing twice the acreage of Manhattan disintegrated in Northern Greenland. The colossal glacier was completely severed from a fjord entitled “Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden” in the Northern Greenland Ice Stream.
Scientists believe that the immense collapse is a further confirmation of the severity of Earth’s precipitously worsening climate. Furthermore, scientists are persistently giving prominence to the close linkage between the rapid disintegration of ice in polar regions and climate change. Jenny Turton, a scientist at Fredrich’s Alexander University in Germany, states in CNN’s latest article regarding this matter, that temperatures remained inordinately warm in Greenland for the past few years. She adds that the atmospheric division of Northern Greenland has experienced a tremendous increase in temperature; temperatures rising by about 3 degrees Celsius since 1980.
“The news sounds alarming,” says Henny, a sophomore at AISG. “I feel like global warming is the main cause. Due to the selfish actions of humans, the ecosystem is becoming more and more damaged.” He makes additional comments on this matter and proposes methods and actions of which one can take to stop the accelerated degradation of the environment. “A cosmopolitical coalesce of efforts to save the environment would be needed. As students, we can start by buying eco-friendly products, using public transportation, and wasting less water.” Hannah Kim from Grade 9 approaches this matter in a similar manner to Henny’s. “Our society is emitting too much carbon-dioxide; it remains in the atmosphere and heats the Earth, resulting in the deterioration of glaciers.” She asserts that humans would misapply and fraudulently use Earth’s resources to achieve society’s needs, often which will eventually result in the complete collapse of our environment. Claire Park, a parent of AISG believes much the same as Henny and Hannah. “We’ve chopped down acres of forest, threw waste in our oceans, and polluted the air. It’s nature telling us that we’ve gone too far.” Park proclaims that an international conference regarding the preservation of the ecosystem must be convened. She also added that information regarding humans’ impactful contribution to the decay of our planet must be well taught at school, as a way to inform future generations of the heinous decisions of those before them.
A study published this August shows that the accelerated melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet may be the largest and most predominant contributor to rising sea levels globally. Furthermore, geologists mention that the mass melting/disintegration of glaciers can contribute to rising sea levels, which may further engender coastal erosions and give rise to the prevalence of sea-derived storms like ruinous hurricanes and typhoons.
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