The Disappearing North Pole

It can be easy to forget about the declining situation at our Earth’s poles; however, the facts are not easy to ignore.  July 2011 set a record low for ice at the poles with only 3.06 million square miles as opposed to the average 3.9 million.  Researchers at Colorado’s National Snow and Data Center (NSIDC) are pessimistic about the future of the North Arctic ice.   

The results of this study not only effect the Arctic Circle, but also the climate of the rest of the world.  The Arctic sea aids in the cooling of the entire Northern Hemisphere by reflecting sunlight off the ice.  On the positive side, levels are hovering around the same as that in 2007; which was the lowest year on record since 1979. 

Source:

http://www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/image/2011/summer-heat-unravels-arctics-icy-blanket