Scientists 'shocked' by extreme events in Antarctica as Earth heats up
New ScientistAug 15, 2023
The Facts
On Monday, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) announced that the sea ice in the waters that surround Antarctica reached a new record low this past winter.
During the changes in seasons in the Antarctic region, sea ice grows and retracts and is measured by its maximum coverage at the conclusion of winter. The sea ice reaches its minimum in February and should reach its maximum in mid-September.
As of September 10, the maximum sea ice coverage had maxed out at 6.55M square miles (16.96M sq km). During the winter, the sea ice coverage dipped as low as 397K square miles (1M sq km), or an area similar in size to Texas.
The Spin
Narrative A
Climate activists are wrong when they claim sea ice loss is a significant concern. There are economic gains to be made as the ice recedes, as the Arctic will become the new frontier for companies willing to commit to exploration. A significant portion of the globe’s undiscovered oil, gas, and mineral supply is in the polar region — the benefits may outweigh the costs when ice melts.
Narrative B
The loss of sea ice will forever change the landscape and humanity. The rapid reduction in sea ice will lead sunlight to be trapped on Earth's surface, further warming the seas and promoting more sea ice loss. Warming seas will become rising seas, leading to more problems. Adding sea ice loss to the climate equation creates a bleak result.
