Will Antarctica be Gone Forever?

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Antarctica’s Eagle Island on Feb. 4 and Feb. 13, 2020. (Image: © NASA Earth Observatory)

Valentina Jara, Writer

Antarctica is well known for its ice and being cold, but in 2020 Antarctica’s ice is melting away.The ice that is melting from Antarctica can be detrimental to the world because the sea levels will rise. According to NASA, if the sea levels rise it can be bad for countries that have cities that are surrounded by water. In the United States, New York City can be all washed away if the sea levels rise.

According to The Washington Post, “When the ice shelves are damaged by climate change, as we saw in the Antarctic Peninsula in the last several decades, their buttressing effect is reduced and the ice streams speed up and raise sea levels,” said Isabella Velicogna, a glaciologist at the University of California at Irvine, commenting on the new study.

If the sea level rises, then there will be detrimental effects on coastal areas and for the animals. Islands will be washed away and New York City as well, which can cause the United States to be in a financial crisis. High temperatures that the Earth is having, is making the ice melt.. All of the carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that are being released is hurting the Earth.

 According to Financial Times, “Carbon dioxide can stay in the atmosphere for a century or longer, it’s levels are still increasing and the planet is still warming.”

 Each year, Antarctica is losing more ice which might lead to not Antarctica existing. However, scientists do not know when Antarctica will be gone. The rate of the ice melting can be soon. During quarantine, Carbon dioxide was not  being produced as much but it did not really help the Earth. Not only is the ice melting but icebergs are breaking off and floating around the ocean. 

Sooner or later Antarctica will be gone. Once it’s gone it can never come back.  Since there is so much Carbon Dioxide in the air, people can build more trees so the trees can help with the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If people do not have to drive to their destination, they should walk so there is less carbon fuel being used. We need to SAVE ANTARCTICA!