What Does the Polar Ice Caps Melting Mean for Climate Change?

_{Melting of the polar ice caps could actually create a change in ocean currents. Even a slight disruption in this cycle can affect the climate. As ice caps melt, this cold water drifts into warmer waters where it sinks and interferes with the natural flow. This can alter the climate and of course the more intense this flow of cold water gets, the greater the interference.}

_{There are nearly 160,000 glaciers and the melting of these glaciers has been steadily increasing over the years. Antarctica is where most of the ice is and if it melted completely there wouldn't be many people left to tell about it as the sea levels would rise about 200 feet. Of course this is a very extreme scenario and the likelihood of it happening is slim to none.}

_{Nevertheless, if melting continues at its present rate, sea levels will definitely increase. An increase of only a few feet would be disastrous as so many of the most heavily populated areas are near the coast. Also, much of the world's food-producing land is located at low elevations. The encroachment of saltwater upon farm land would make the soil useless for planting which could very well lead to food shortages.}

_{Some scientists are saying now that global cooling could actually occur in some places while others continue to heat. The fact of the matter is that very little is known about this phenomena. There are dozens of theories floating around but records only go back so far and there is simply not enough data to know what's really happening or what's causing it.}

_{However, it is certain that melting of the polar ice caps is affecting ocean currents which in turn is affecting the climate. The U S isn't experiencing as much change as some other countries. Europe has been experiencing radically different weather. Australia is also suffering from severe climate changes.}

_{There are other factors involved in climate change but melting of the glaciers represent a huge threat. As long as surface temperatures continue to increase the melting of glaciers will also increase so the solution seems quite obvious- stop the heating and the ice caps will stop melting. This of course is what scientists around the world are trying to do.}

_{There are a number of climate scientists who believe that the heating of the planet is temporary and that surface temperatures will eventually level off and ultimately return to normal. Then again, there are several others who disagree and say that we are heading for another ice age while still others believe we are locked in an irreversible pattern of global waring and profound climate change.}

_{In view of such differing opinions one must conclude that no one really knows what's happening and apparently they haven't the foggiest notion of how to correct it. A solution can't be found until the problem is correctly identified. Unfortunately, by the time they get it all figured out we could be experiencing profound climate changes due to cold water entering warmer waters from rapidly melting glaciers.}

_{Therefore, it seems obvious that melting of the polar ice caps means unpredictable weather and rising sea levels until a solution is found that will stop or at least curb global warming. The rate at which these changes take place depend largely on the rate at which surface temperatures increase.}