The Antarctic sea ice is a key element of our planetary ecosystem and its current state is worrying. Indeed, the American reference observatory recently announced that despite reaching its maximum annual surface area of 16.96 million km², it was the smallest ever recorded since scientific surveys began in 1979.
This alarming decrease in the size of the Antarctic sea ice is a phenomenon which has taken on a worrying magnitude since August 2016. During this period, the downward trend in the extent of the sea ice has been maintained almost every month of the year. Scientists agree that this decrease is linked to the warming of the upper layer of the ocean, due to global climate change.
The retreat of the Antarctic sea ice raises serious concerns about its consequences on our planet. Not only does this worsen global warming, because white sea ice reflects the sun’s rays more than darker seawater, but it also exposes Antarctica’s coasts to waves, which can destabilize the ice sheet and lead to rise in ocean levels.
Additionally, melting sea ice is having a disastrous impact on wildlife, particularly emperor penguins. A recent study found that early melting of sea ice led to a catastrophic 100% loss of chicks in some penguin colonies. These birds find themselves trapped when the ice melts, which compromises their reproduction period and threatens their survival.
Faced with this alarming situation, it is more necessary than ever to take measures to combat global warming and preserve the Antarctic ice shelf, as well as our entire ecosystem. Concrete actions such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing renewable energies and raising awareness among all stakeholders in society are essential to reverse this trend and preserve our planet for future generations.
In conclusion, the decrease in Antarctica’s sea ice constitutes a major alert on the state of our environment. It is urgent to put in place measures and actions to fight global warming and protect the ecosystems of our planet.