Cryosphere: The melting continues

Description

Ice, snow and permafrost – the elements that form the cryosphere – are highly sensitive to heat. The cryosphere is changing rapidly due to man-made climate change.These changes will have complex consequences both inside and outside the region. Rising temperatures in the Arctic are already leading to shorter snow seasons, thawing permafrost and the retreat of the region’s sea ice, ice caps and glaciers. This is challenging the integrity of ecosystems and the sustainability of communities, affecting people’s lives and livelihoods in the Arctic.