Melting snow and ice: a call for action, A report commissioned by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore and Norways Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems, Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, NO9296 Tromsø, Norway.
“Snow and ice are melting far above normal seasonal changes, and the changes are occurring at an accelerating pace. We see this happening in all snow- and ice-covered regions: Antarctica, the Arctic, Greenland, the third pole of the Himalayas, and other glaciated areas throughout the world. The consequences for the regions affected are already considerable and more are expected. However, the melting is not only an issue for the areas where it occurs. Snow and ice are important components of the Earths climate system. Melting will be felt in all regions of the world through increased global warming and rising sea levels. Moreover, the loss of summer ice cover on the Arctic Ocean is leading to greater absorption of heat from the Sun. This is thawing the permafrost surrounding the Arctic and threatening the release of very large quantities of additional carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere.”
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