Rapid warming in the Arctic threatens the entire planet

The Arctic is warming faster than our Earth’s average. Almost four times faster! This is not good news for the area.

And it’s not good news for the rest of the planet either, according to researchersUniversity College London (UCL, United Kingdom). A study they publish in the journal earth system dynamics It shows how the Arctic is rapidly warming – what scientists sometimes call “Arctic Amplification” – Adds uncertainty to climate forecasts and, above all, impacts global warming.

Arctic warming and its consequences around the world

Because sea ice, for example, helps keep our Earth cool by radiating heat back into space rather than absorbing it. Therefore, its return under the influence of accelerated global warming in the Arctic could lead to even further increases in global temperatures. Thus, the researchers’ models suggest that Arctic warming would result in the 1.5°C threshold being crossed five years earlier than it would have been without it. And even exceeded the 2°C limit about eight years ago.

impact on global goals

“Climate change is often ignored in the Arctic. “Yet our study shows how the region impacts global goals like the Paris Agreement, and we hope it will draw attention to the crisis already unfolding in the far north of our planet.”says researcher Robbie Mallet of the University of Manitoba (Canada) in a UCL press release.

Towards continued rapid warming of the Arctic

In fact, the Arctic has already warmed by 2.7 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era. And in this region, warming is only accelerating. Models estimate that a 2 °C increase in global temperatures would lead to 4 °C in the Arctic and even 7 °C in the winter period. One can imagine that this would have serious consequences for the local population and ecosystem.