Global Warming Impact on the Arctic- Hanya Awan

Many polar bears that live in the arctic have suffered from the great impact of climate change and global warming. The habitat of polar bears is severely put at risk as many icebergs and iced areas are starting to melt and submerge in the water. The reason iceberg’s location remains significant towards the influence of polar bears’ habitats is because of the population that is constantly declining in the Arctic. Since, the Arctic has been doubling its temperature at a high speed, the loss of the ocean ice also threatens the bear’s main prey, seals. However, the Arctic does not only limit itself to the habitat of polar bears. The sea ice where polar bears live and stay together is in many areas in the world that include 19 different regions of Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States. All the 19 subpopulations of polar bears have experienced some degree of ice loss, which threatens the habitat and food of the polar bears. Every few years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) publishes a "Red List" - which summarizes the conservation status of threatened animals and plants. Currently, polar bears are classified as "vulnerable" by the latest iteration published in 2015, indicating a high risk of extinction in the wild. Polar bears might adapt to the new climate and weather, according to reports, but scientists have predicted that after several years they will become even more food-stressed as sea ice continues to melt and populations decline. The sea ice environment plays a crucial role in the life of Arctic bears; this includes travelling, hunting, mating, resting, and in some regions, building maternal dens.

They are heavily dependent on prey dependent on sea ice, such as ringed and bearded seals. Furthermore, their long generation time and low reproductive rate may limit their ability to adapt to environmental changes. According to the New York Times article on “Global Warming Is Driving Polar Bears Toward Extinction, Researchers Say”, it states that if climate change continues to damage the arctic and the sea ice, it will lead to worldwide polar bear extinction. “There is very little chance that polar bears would persist anywhere in the world, except perhaps in the very high Arctic in one small subpopulation” if greenhouse-gas emissions continue at so-called business-as-usual levels”, stated Peter K. Molnar, a former researcher at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Though there are many ways to prevent climate change, the only hope is for the public to contribute to making the change, as humans are responsible for most of the damage that is caused by global warming as a whole. Not only impacting wildlife habitats but also lifestyle, plants, air quality, ocean litter and many other factors that are contributing to today’s prediction of extinction for polar bears. The average temperature of the Arctic has increased by 2.3 °C since the 1970s and continues to increase because of human action and industrialized countries that have manufactured many factories and cars that are evolving with technology with greater pollution. This alone does not affect only polar bears, but all the species that are in the arctic such as penguins, narwhals, seals, and walruses. Thus, if industrial companies do not cooperate with eco-friendly systems and healthier alternatives with plastic, waste, and packaging it can create a serious risk for any living creature living in the Arctic and can melt the Arctic alone. Furthermore, scientists and professionals need to monitor and record new data results and analyses to keep abreast of what is occurring in the Arctic and how the rapid rise in temperature is influencing the species living there. Using this technique, scientists can keep a record of what is happening in the Arctic. In this way, their adaptability can impact their survival rate, and they can live for a longer period of time, stopping them from going extinct.

Works Cited

“Arctic Climate Change.” Arcticwwf.org, 2020, arcticwwf.org/work/climate/#:~:text=The%20average%20temperature%20of%20the.

Fountain, Henry. “Global Warming Is Driving Polar Bears toward Extinction, Researchers Say.” The New York Times, 20 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/20/climate/polar-bear-extinction.html.

“Polar Bears.” WWF, 2016, www.wwf.org.uk/learn/wildlife/polar-bears.

“Report Card.” Noaa.gov, 2018, www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card.