The Arctic and Climate Change: A Recap of What Plagues the Polar Bears

When you think of the Arctic, what springs to mind? I think of the expansive ice, the glaciers and the animals, like seals, penguins and my personal favorite, the polar bears. However, this once majestic environment is in crisis because of the latest climate change trends endangering the animals we love.

Effects of Shrinking Ice on the Arctic’s Polar Bears

The Arctic is one of the fastest changing environments in the world because of it is sensitive to temperature fluctuations. As a result, the animals who call it home are also struggling.

• Because the ice is melting at exponential rates, polar bears and other animals who live on it struggle to survive
• The shrinking ice causes the polar bears’ main prey to stray farther from land, making them harder for the bears to catch. This puts the bears at a disadvantage because they are no longer on their favored hunting ground
• Polar bears cannot evolve fast enough to keep up with the human-made destruction of their home

Possible Solution: Refreezing the Poles With Aerosol Particles

Scientists have proposed several plans to combat the effects of climate change on the Arctic. One such plan, led by Wake Smith at Yale University, aims to reverse the effects of the heat on the Arctic’s ice. The team plans to deploy air-crafts to spray a fine, aerosol solution above the North and Soul Poles. The resulting layers would provide shade for the ice, allowing it to refreeze and promote habitat recovery by slowing the rising sea levels. The scientists also deem this option as one of the cheaper solutions to climate change and are thinking of launching the initiative in the years to come.