6 minute read
CLIMATE CHANGE AND MELTING ICE
Feature And Photography Lorenzo Mittiga
Reflecting on the words of the great explorer Roald Amundsen, who first reached the South Pole in 1911, I’m reminded of how he described Antarctica: colder than Siberia, drier than the Gobi Desert, windier than Mount Washington, and more desolate than the most barren parts of Arabia. Today, as I visit this “alien” land, I see its symbolic importance – a largely untouched, fragile ecosystem where the effects of global warming are starkly evident.
In Antarctica, the impacts of climate change are more visible than in many other parts of the world. Studying this region and the Southern Ocean provides crucial insights into how human activities influence global warming and what steps we might take to mitigate these effects.
As a photographer dedicated to conservation, I’ve been privileged to witness the unique and stark beauty of the Antarctic, the most isolated and intriguing region on our planet. This area stands as a vital indicator of the widespread impacts of climate change. The next decade is pivotal in our journey to safeguard the Earth for future generations.
During my recent journey with the ACE 2023 expedition, the transformations I observed were more profound than I had expected. Through my lens, the changes in Antarctica’s landscapes and its wildlife were not just visible but deeply impactful. While change is a natural part of such extreme environments, the scale and speed of these changes are alarming. Intriguingly, some of these shifts are tied to global phenomena, making their mitigation a complex challenge.
As visitors, we must remember we’re the outsiders here. Our guides constantly remind us to respect the wildlife – keeping a distance from penguins and seals, and being mindful of nesting petrels. We must follow strict rules to protect this environment: cleaning our gear to prevent introducing foreign organisms, disinfecting our muck boots, and securing our belongings against the unpredictable winds.
One of the most concerning effects of climate change here is its impact on the Adélie penguin population. Their numbers have dramatically decreased due to melting ice and diminishing krill populations, their primary food source. In just a few decades, their numbers have plummeted from 100,000 to 30,000.
On this expedition, the signs of climate change were unmistakable – from unusual snowfall patterns and penguin chicks struggling to survive, to retreating glaciers and the spread of green snow algae. Despite these changes, Antarctica’s beauty remains breathtaking, with its unique landscapes and wildlife.
The changing climate is not only affecting the Adélie penguins but also the Gentoo penguins, distinguished by their bright red beaks. While some populations are thriving in Antarctica, they face challenges on sub-Arctic islands.
A critical situation is driving Antarctica into uncharted territory, resulting in severe impacts. The emergence of darker and more extensive blooms is hastening the rate at which ice and glaciers melt in the Antarctic Peninsula. It’s becoming increasingly clear that snow algae, growing in abundance, will be a major factor in accelerating the melting of snow by diminishing the “albedo” factor (measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects into space, with higher albedo indicating greater reflectivity and less absorption of heat) in these regions over the next few years. We were witnesses to the biggest expanse of snow fields covered with green, red algae at all 10 locations visited. Microplastics were found in all samples, and an unprecedented number of orphaned or born too late to survive penguins were seen in all landings. We were also overwhelmed by unusual rains and wet snowfall.
The climate crisis is also affecting the marine food chain, notably the availability of krill. This decrease in food supply impacts the reproductive success of Antarctic fur seals and alters the predatory behaviour of leopard seals.
The melting Antarctic ice, receding at a rate of 10 metres per year, poses a significant threat to the region’s seabirds and marine mammals, like seals. This habitat loss is a profound reminder of the urgent need to address climate change.
The way Antarctic ecosystems are responding to warmer, more acidic oceans is a subject of intense study and concern. Addressing these changes requires a multifaceted approach, blending scientific research with decisive actions from global policymakers and contributions from people worldwide.
The warming trend in the Antarctic Peninsula is particularly striking. As per the IPCC reports, the region’s temperature is rising at a rate five times faster than the global average. Since 1950, there’s been an increase of nearly 3°C, an unparalleled change in our planet’s history. This warming has significant implications for local wildlife, ice structures, and oceanic conditions. Notably, the ocean to the west of the peninsula has warmed by over 1°C since 1955. Additionally, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is experiencing a warming trend faster than the rest of the world’s oceans, a fact that underscores the urgency of the situation.
