The Big Thaw

The Chacaltaya ski area sits upon a small mountain glacier in Bolivia. Although the area is less than a kilometer long, it once hosted international ski competitions. In the past ten years, however, the snow has melted very quickly. As the Chacaltaya glacier melts, dark rocks are uncovered. These rocks absorb more heat, causing temperatures to increase, so the remaining snow melts faster. The cycle seems unstoppable. Today, the snow is almost gone, and so are Chacaltaya’s days as a popular ski resort.

A Global Problem In recent years, scientists all around the world have come to a terrifying conclusion. Global warming is a real problem, and one largely caused by human activity. But as experts debate how to solve the problem, ice near the North and South Poles is melting even faster than environmentalists once feared. Ten years ago, scientists warned that the Arctic Ocean could lose all its ice in about a hundred years. Now, they think it could happen much sooner. As climate scientist Mark Serreze says, “Reality is exceeding expectations.” Glacier Run The ice sheet of Greenland is also melting more quickly than scientists predicted.

One of its largest glaciers,Jakobshavn Isbræ, is moving toward the sea faster than expected. In fact, the glacier is moving twice as fast as it was in 1995. Rising air and sea temperatures are two well-known causes. Researchers have also discovered other unexpected processes that cause glaciers to melt faster. For instance, water from melting ice runs down cracks in the surface and gets between the ice and rock below. This makes it easier for the glacier to slide into the warmer sea water. Some researchers believe that the melting of Greenland’s ice, if it continues, could add at least a meter to global sea levels by 2100. If the ice sheet of Antarctica continues to melt at its current rate, the next few centuries could see at least a two-meter rise in sea levels, forcing tens of millions of people out of their homes.

Drying Out

While the melting of glaciers may flood some areas of the Earth, in other places, global warming is making water disappear. Many scientists think the glaciers of the Himalayas and the Andes could disappear in this century. As a result, millions of people in India, Bangladesh, Bolivia, and Peru—who depend on water from mountain glaciers like Chacaltaya—could find themselves in a critical situation. An increasing number of heat waves and droughts worldwide also suggests global warming is having an impact on humans right now, and that it could change the face of the world in the future.

How can we avoid these terrible consequences? “We all have a role to play in saving our planet,” says Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a producer of the documentary movie Before the Flood, which helped to raise awareness of the problem. DiCaprio believes that an immediate shift in people’s attitude to climate change is needed. “We need to vote for leaders who understand the serious issues impacting our climate,” he says. “There is no issue this important—because the future of the planet is at stake.”