Alarming Trends in the Earth’s Icy Extremes Require Swift Action

In 2023, the Arctic experienced its warmest summer since records began in 1979, according to the Polar Climate Change Report 2023, an annual publication that tracks the impacts of climate change in polar regions.

The report, released by the China Meteorological Administration during a press conference on September 5 in Beijing, highlights alarming extreme events and their far-reaching consequences. It reveals the most recent observational results and long-term assessments regarding polar temperatures, sea ice, and atmospheric composition.

“In 2023, the Arctic and Antarctic regions exhibited a persistent amplifying effect on climate change with significant impacts on local ecosystems and global weather patterns,” Wang Jinxing, Deputy Director of the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, said at the press conference.

Alarming observations

The Arctic is particularly sensitive to the effects of global warming, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. According to the report, the average temperature in the Arctic over last year was minus 9.19 degrees Celsius, nearly 1.0 degree Celsius higher than usual, with some regions experiencing an increase of over 2.0 degrees Celsius.

The annual average temperature in the Arctic showed a rapid upward trend from 1979 to 2023, with a warming rate 3.4 times that of the global average during that period, the report reads.

Nearby regions were affected. In 2023, unusually high temperatures and low rainfall in northern Canada led to severe droughts. The summer of that year saw record-breaking wildfires in the Northwest Territories, with fires lasting over five months and burning an area of 4.16 million hectares—the largest recorded in 44 years.

Additionally, Greenland experienced its warmest summer on record in 2023. On June 26 last year, temperatures at the highest point of the Greenland ice sheet reached 0.39 degrees Celsius, causing widespread melting of the ice sheet. The high temperatures resulted in the second largest daily cumulative area of ice melt in 45 years of satellite observations. On July 20, 2023, melting occurred across 844,000 square km, or 67 percent of the surface of the Greenland ice sheet, the largest single-day area of melting that year.

The report has also found anomalies in the Antarctic region. It says the continent experienced slightly higher temperatures, with an annual average of minus 31.86 degrees Celsius, 0.05 degrees Celsius above normal. It also saw frequent extreme events, including a 40-degree Celsius temperature surge at the South Pole during polar night, from minus 74 to minus 34 degrees Celsius.

The area of Antarctic sea ice dwindled to record lows. On February 21, 2023, the area of sea ice dropped to 1.788 million square km, the lowest annual minimum on record. Later, on September 10, 2023, sea ice peaked at 16.956 million square km, a new record for the lowest annual maximum.

The accelerated melting of Antarctic sea ice in recent years has significantly impacted the continent’s environment and may further influence global weather and climate patterns, according to the report.

Will the reduction in Antarctic sea ice become the new norm? Ding Minghu, Director and a researcher at the Institute of Global Change and Polar Research at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, told newspaper National Business Daily that the area of Antarctic sea ice is vast and changes very irregularly, constantly fluctuating between the highest and the lowest levels. In recent years, new records have been set, which are related to both weather and climate. However, whether Antarctic sea ice will continue to decline in the future remains uncertain. While scientists from multiple countries are conducting research, no definitive conclusions have yet been reached.

Concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the polar regions showed a stable annual increase from 1984 to 2022, and the concentration of methane in the atmosphere exhibited a stable annual increase at both poles, according to the report. The total ozone level in the Arctic was above the historical average, it stated.

“Temperature changes in the Arctic and Antarctic have a profound impact on our lives. These temperature shifts alter global climate patterns, leading to extreme weather events such as heatwaves, snowstorms and floods. These events directly affect agricultural production and the safety of infrastructure,” Ding said.

Ding added the melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers contributes to rising sea levels, putting low-lying coastal areas at risk of flooding and property loss, and potentially leading to population displacement.

Furthermore, climate change also affects local ecosystems, particularly impacting species that rely on icy habitats, such as polar bears and seals, which can lead to decreases in biodiversity.

The Arctic is home to a variety of herbivores, including North American reindeer, musk oxen, Arctic hares and lemmings, as well as carnivores such as wolves, foxes and polar bears. Additionally, one sixth of the bird species in the Northern Hemisphere breed in the Arctic. The Southern Ocean around Antarctica is home to thousands of species of marine animals as well.

The expedition

The findings of the report are made possible by the efforts of Chinese scientists in their polar expeditions.

As China’s inaugural Antarctic expedition was made in 1984, this year is the 40th anniversary of Chinese polar expedition. To date, the nation has completed 40 Antarctic and 13 Arctic expeditions, amassing a wealth of samples and scientific data.

These multidisciplinary expeditions encompass a range of fields, including glaciology, marine biology, meteorology, geology and environmental science. China’s commitment to polar research is underpinned by its icebreakers, the Xuelong and the Xuelong 2, which serve as vital platforms for transport and fieldwork. Another one, the Jidi icebreaker, was delivered on June 24. These vessels empower Chinese scientists to access the remote and inhospitable areas in the polar regions.

Five research stations in Antarctica and two in the Arctic are also crucial for polar studies and international cooperation.

In February, China’s fifth research station in Antarctica, Qinling Station, commenced operations on Inexpressible Island in the Terra Nova Bay of the world’s southernmost continent. The station, with an area of 5,244 square meters, can accommodate 80 people in summer and 30 in winter. China’s Changcheng and Zhongshan stations were both built in the late 1980s, and the other two stations, Kunlun and Taishan, officially went into operation at the end of 2021, after a trial run of five and nine years respectively.

He Jianfeng, a scientist at the Polar Research Institute of China, said Qinling Station will enable researchers to carry out investigations into the waters, glaciers, ice shelves, weather, environment and animals in Antarctica.

The station will bolster humankind’s knowledge about Antarctica, advance the peaceful and sustainable development of the southernmost continent, and act as a platform for joint exploration, then Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a news conference on February 7, the day the station commenced operation.