The melting cryosphere
Ice, snow and permafrost – the elements that form the cryosphere – are highly sensitive to heat. The cryosphere is changing rapidly due to man-made climate change.These changes will have complex consequences both inside and outside the region. Rising temperatures in the Arctic are already leading to shorter snow seasons, thawing permafrost and the retreat of the region’s sea ice, ice caps and glaciers. This is challenging the integrity of ecosystems and the sustainability of communities, affecting people’s lives and livelihoods in the Arctic.
Source:
National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDAC); J. Richter-Menge, et al. (eds.), 2017 Arctic Report Card 2017, Arctic Programme, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); The Arctic Environment European Perspectives on a Changing Arctic, European Environment Agency, 2017; Assessment 2018: Arctic Ocean Acidification, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP); Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA) 2017, AMAP.
Year: 2019
From collection: Global linkages – a graphic look at the changing Arctic (rev.1)
Cartographer: Philippe Rekacewicz