Arctic temperatures have risen nearly four times faster than the global average over the past 40 years. On average, it was warming by 0.75 degrees Celsius per decade, according to a new study published Thursday by researchers from Norway and Finland. Earlier climate models assumed a much slower temperature rise.
For example, a 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that warming is about twice as fast as the global average. This is due to a phenomenon known as “Arctic amplification”. When ice and snow, which normally reflect sunlight, melt into seawater, there is an amplifying effect because the dark water absorbs the heat from the sunlight.
Warming stronger than previously assumed
The scientists from Norway and Finland now examined four temperature data sets collected by satellites in the Arctic since 1979. They found that warming is progressing faster than previously believed, the researchers report in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
The results were “somewhat surprising” because they were so much higher than previous data, said study co-author Antti Lipponen of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He spoke out to put the climate models to the test.
Sea level could rise up to six meters
The strong warming of the Arctic has global consequences. Experts warn in particular about the melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which could lead to a sea level rise of about six meters. “Climate change is man-made,” Lipponen said. “Something is happening in the Arctic and it will affect all of us.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
