Concerns over rising sea levels Akanksha Sharma, a CSR expert and an Environmentalist represented India on a global expedition to Antarctica as a part of ‘Leadership on the Edge Programme’ 2017 conducted by Robert Swan. The purpose of this annual expedition is to study the climate change and the impact of the melting glaciers on the rising sea levels. Picture Credits- Akanksha Sharma Text: Srishti Kapur Akanksha Sharma, a CSR expert and an Environmentalist represented India on a global expedition to Antarctica as a part of ‘Leadership on the Edge Programme’ 2017 conducted by Robert Swan. The purpose of this annual expedition is to study the climate change and the impact of the melting glaciers on the rising sea levels. Antarctica is the southernmost continent that holds 90% of the world’s ice and 70% of the world’s fresh water. Warming in Antarctica has led to rapid deglaciation that is increasing the sea levels by about 1 to 2 millimeters each year. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global sea level has risen between four and eight inches (10 and 20 centimeters) in the past hundred years Antarctica is the southernmost continent that holds 90% of the world’s ice and 70% of the world’s fresh water. Warming in Antarctica has led to rapid deglaciation that is increasing the sea levels by about 1 to 2 millimeters each year. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global sea level has risen between four and eight inches (10 and 20 centimeters) in the past hundred years According to data collected by NASA, Antarctica has been losing more than a hundred cubic kilometers (24 cubic miles) of ice each year since 2002 and if all this ice is melts, it would raise the global sea level by about 60 meters or 197 feet. The disintegration of ice shelf, which is another cause of melting of glaciers, was caught by NASA satellites in 2010 and showed how it took just three weeks to crumble a 12,000-year old ice shelf. According to data collected by NASA, Antarctica has been losing more than a hundred cubic kilometers (24 cubic miles) of ice each year since 2002 and if all this ice is melts, it would raise the global sea level by about 60 meters or 197 feet. The disintegration of ice shelf, which is another cause of melting of glaciers, was caught by NASA satellites in 2010 and showed how it took just three weeks to crumble a 12,000-year old ice shelf. The 13 day expedition that started from Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world, integrated a variety of lectures and skill building activities to educate the travelers about Antarctica’s the climate, geography and wildlife as well as the challenges to be faced in the expedition. Discussions on potential renewable sources of energy and how it plays a role in preserving the continent were also held. The travelers visited different sites of the western Antarctic Peninsula and documented their experiences. The 13 day expedition that started from Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world, integrated a variety of lectures and skill building activities to educate the travelers about Antarctica’s the climate, geography and wildlife as well as the challenges to be faced in the expedition. Discussions on potential renewable sources of energy and how it plays a role in preserving the continent were also held. The travelers visited different sites of the western Antarctic Peninsula and documented their e This expedition, along with many others, aims to address the issue of climate change that has become a major concern over the past few years. Raising of temperatures due to human activities like carbon emissions has drastically affected the climate and ecosystems that has further resulted in the melting of polar ice caps. It is only with awareness programmes such as these that focus on educating people about the environment that there is hope for the future. This expedition, along with many others, aims to address the issue of climate change that has become a major concern over the past few years. Raising of temperatures due to human activities like carbon emissions has drastically affected the climate and ecosystems that has further resulted in the melting of polar ice caps. It is only with awareness programmes such as these that focus on educating people about the environment that there is hope for the future.
