BLOG

Disapearing Arctic and Threatened Polar Bears Signal Importance of Action on Global Warming

-- Katie -- 01/03/2007

Recent coverage on global warming underscores just how important it is for our next president to address Global Warming. Let’s hope the 2008 candidates are paying attention.

The world has seen record breaking temperatures over the last few years. These temperatures have caused melting of the ice shelves in the more quickly than previously predicted. Scientists recently detected that the enormous Ayles ice shelf in the Arctic broke away in less than an hour from the main shelf. The Ayles ice shelf is 41 square miles, so for it to break off in less than an hour is shocking.

The melting is leading to the loss of habitat for many species, including the polar bear, which is losing its hunting ground as the ice shelves melt. Recently the Bush Administration announced it was considering placing polar bears on the Threatened Species List. This action would give the EPA the authority to regulate the causes of global warming, like carbon emissions, in order to protect the habitat of the polar bears. This kind of action is imperative if we are to prevent the extinction of the polar bear.

However, polar bears are not the only thing we should be worried about. While the ice island is frozen right now, the warmer temperatures of summer could endanger shipping routes and oil drilling sites as there is a possibility the ice island begins to move into these areas.

For more information, check out our videos here.