Arctic Meltdown: Svalbard's Rapid Glacier Loss and its Global Implications
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change; Geography of the World (Important physical features, locations like the Arctic).
Key Highlights from the News
Glaciers in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic, melted at an unprecedented rate in 2024.
In just six weeks, approximately 1% of the total ice on the islands was lost, which is equivalent to Greenland's annual loss.
Scientists point to record-high temperatures and moist warm air flowing into the Arctic as the main reasons for this.
The study warns that such events are likely to become more common in the future, accelerating sea-level rise and posing a major threat to coastal communities worldwide.
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