A new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder suggests that the Arctic climate system may be more sensitive to greenhouse warming than first thought.

The international study suggested that the current levels of Earth?s atmospheric carbon dioxide could be high enough to cause significant and irreversible shifts in the various Arctic ecosystems. The conditions on Ellesmere Island in Canada?s High Arctic look to be approaching a point where there could soon be ice free conditions in the Arctic.

“Our findings indicate that CO2 levels of approximately 400 parts per million are sufficient to produce mean annual temperatures in the High Arctic of approximately 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees F),” said Ashley Ballantyne of the University of Colorado at Boulder. “As temperatures approach 0 degrees Celsius, it becomes exceedingly difficult to maintain permanent sea and glacial ice in the Arctic. Thus current levels of CO2 in the atmosphere of approximately 390 parts per million may be approaching a tipping point for irreversible ice-free conditions in the Arctic.” (more…)

Read the whole story on:http://planetsave.com/blog

Add This Post: