How Much is Climate Change Actually Affecting The Polar Ice Caps?

I recently came across a website hosted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency [(USEPA) Website link at the bottom of this post], which explained the reasons that regions with polar ice caps, such as the arctic tend to receive the greatest amount of warming on a global scale. Due to this issue, the environment in these areas tends to be the most greatly effected, and besides local wildlife suffering, the polar ice caps melting present a greater problem of its own. Where we live, the apparent changes in climate change are not as noticeable, making it easier to predict climate change to be some sort of scare tactic, but the fact is that climate change varies greatly in different areas. Regions with polar ice caps experience more warming because ice when compared to water or land has more reflectivity, and therefore heat is able to spread to a greater amount of surface area than usual. When this reflective surface melts, it reveals an area with darker land and/or ocean surfaces which then absorbs more heat from the sun and increases warming of the planet specifically in this area. A recent report released by a group of independent scientists also revealed some very interesting information which helps support just how much climate change affects polar ice cap-specific areas: "Average temperatures in the Arctic have risen at almost twice the rate as temperatures in the rest of the world over the past few decades". They have also predicted likely problems including that "[when] frozen ground thaws, many existing buildings, roads, pipelines, airports, and industrial facilities are likely to be destabilized." With the evidence put forth by this environmental group, I am now more heavily dedicated to the seriousness of climate change. I believe that this is a real issue, and that with the effects of climate change on the polar ice caps our world may change greatly in the future. My next blog post will involve methods on how to contribute to decreasing the rate of global warming, and what you the readers can do at home to decrease your carbon footprint. 


This website provided many insights into just how much climate change is going on, especially in regions containing polar ice caps, I highly recommend checking it out. 

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/polarregions.html