Arctic summers will be ice free in 20 years

Peter Wadhams, leading expert on sea ice cover in the North Pole, and Pen Hadow, British explorer, conducted a series of tests measuring the ice thickness of the Arctic, compared from 2007 to 2009 figurers.

The conclusion of their study was alarming. The men found that the average thickness of ice-flows was 1.8 meters.

This depth is considered too thin to survive the summer's ice melt.

Such a low figure means much of the Arctic melting will take place within the next 10 years. In the summer melting ice exposes darker waters that absorbs sunlight accelerating the global warning process.

"This could lead to flooding affecting one-quarter of the world's population, substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions.... and extreme global weather changes", said Dr Martin Sommerkorn, from the environmental charity WWF's Arctic program.

Arctic melting is one of the clearest signs of global warming, it means rising sea levels, extreme harming and potential extinction of wildlife.

"The Arctic Sea ice holds a central position in our Earth's climate system. Take it out of the equation and we are left with a dramatically warmer world," said Dr Sommerkorn.

Even the earth's physical appearance will change, appearing blue from satellite not white.

Pressure is continuing to mount for new climate treaties to be made before the December Copenhagen conference.

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Author: Caitlin Martinez

Photo: Marshell Arts/ flickr