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Melting Polar Ice leading to Longer Days
Context:
Scientists have found that melting polar ice caps are slowing Earth’s spin, leading to slight changes in the length of a day, which could impact the technology we rely on.
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- Conservation of Angular Momentum: Melting polar ice affects Earth’s rotation by changing its distribution of mass.
- Impact of Melting Polar Ice: As polar ice melts, the water moves towards the equator, causing the Earth to bulge slightly at the equator.
- This increases Earth’s moment of inertia and slows its rotation, lengthening the day.
- Scientific Findings: Analysis of climate models and data from 1900 to 2100 reveals a recent slowdown in Earth’s rotation by about 1.3 milliseconds per century.
- Projections indicate this could increase to 2.6 milliseconds per century if high emission scenarios continue.
- Effects on Timekeeping: Even minor changes in Earth’s rotation can impact precise timekeeping and atomic clocks, which rely on Earth’s rotation to maintain accuracy.
- Impact on Technology: Accurate timekeeping is crucial for systems like GPS, stock trading, and space travel, where even small deviations can have significant effects.
- Other Influencing Factors: The Earth’s core rotation and crust rebound from melting ice age glaciers have been accelerating Earth’s rotation, leading to debates about the need for negative leap seconds.
- Broader Implications: Studies indicate that climate change is affecting fundamental aspects of Earth’s rotation and axis.
- For coastal areas, the melting ice’s contribution to rising sea levels presents more immediate and severe risks than minor changes in Earth’s rotation.
- Call to Action: These findings underscore the urgent need to reduce emissions to prevent further destabilization of Earth’s natural systems.
Impacts of Melting Polar Ice
Sea Level Rise:
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- Coastal flooding: Rising sea levels increase the risk of coastal flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies.
- Displacement of populations: Millions of people living in coastal areas will be forced to relocate.
- Damage to infrastructure: Coastal cities and infrastructure will be at risk of damage or destruction.
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Climate Change Amplification:
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- Albedo effect: Ice reflects sunlight, cooling the planet. Less ice leads to more sunlight absorbtion, leading to further warming.
- Disruption of ocean currents: Melting ice can alter ocean currents, affecting global weather patterns.
- Extreme weather events: Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like hurricanes, heatwaves, and floods.
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Ecosystem Disruption:
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- Loss of habitat: Polar bears, seals, and other Arctic wildlife are losing their habitat as sea ice melts.
- Threatened species: Many species face extinction due to habitat loss and changes in food sources.
- Impact on marine life: Melting ice affects ocean ecosystems, impacting fish populations and marine food chains.
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Global Economic Consequences:
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- Damage to property: Coastal properties will lose value due to increased flood risk.
- Impact on industries: Industries reliant on coastal infrastructure, such as tourism and fishing, will be affected.
- Food security: Changes in agricultural patterns and fishing yields can impact food security.
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Measures taken
India’s Efforts:
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- Renewable Energy Push: India has aggressively promoted solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources to reduce its carbon footprint.
- National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): This plan outlines India’s strategic approach to addressing climate change challenges, including those related to glacial melt and also includes two related programmes:
- National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and
- National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC)
- Clean Ganga Mission: Efforts to clean the Ganges river have implications for overall water management and conservation.
- Forestry and Afforestation: India has undertaken significant afforestation initiatives to increase carbon sequestration.
- Energy Efficiency: Programs to promote energy efficiency in various sectors have been implemented.
- Several Indian institutes/universities/organizations (Geological Survey of India (GSI), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology(WIHG), National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), National Institute of Hydrology(NIH), Space Application Centre (SAC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) etc.) monitor Himalayan glaciers for various scientific studies including glacier melting and have reported accelerated heterogeneous mass loss in Himalayan glaciers.
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Global Efforts:
- Paris Agreement: This international treaty aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): This UN body provides scientific assessments on climate change.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): UNDP has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat climate change and has adopted multiple initiatives like:
- National Climate Action Plans (NDCs): Assisting countries in developing and implementing their NDCs, which outline their climate goals and actions.
- Low-Emission Development Strategies: Supporting the creation of long-term strategies for transitioning to low-carbon economies.
- Green Finance: Facilitating access to finance for low-carbon projects.
- Knowledge Transfer: Sharing best practices and knowledge on climate change mitigation.
- South-South Cooperation: Facilitating knowledge and technology sharing among developing countries.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Integrating climate action into the broader development agenda.
- Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Developed under the Kyoto Protocol, it allows industrialized countries to invest in emission-reduction projects in developing countries.
- Global Carbon Markets: These platforms facilitate the trading of carbon emissions allowances.
- International Cooperation: Countries are collaborating on research, technology transfer, and financial support for climate action.
