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Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities occurs everywhere on Earth, and while Antarctica is less vulnerable to it than any other continent, climate change in Antarctica has already been observed.
2 days ago · The familiar map boundaries of the continent known as Antarctica, defined as the South Polar landmass and all its nonfloating grounded ice, are subject to change with current and future climate change. The continent was ice-free during most of its lengthy geologic history, and there is no reason to believe it will not become so again.
Average winter temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula have increased by 10.8 °F (6 °C) since 1960, and the disintegration of much of the Larsen Ice Shelf between January 1995 and March 2002 was largely attributed to climatic changes resulting from rising average air temperatures.
Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14,200,000 km 2 (5,500,000 sq mi). Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km (1.2 mi).
By far the coldest continent, it has the world’s lowest recorded temperature, −128.6 °F (−89.2 °C), measured in 1983. The climate supports only a small community of land plants, but the rich offshore food supply sustains penguins, aquatic mammals, and immense seabird rookeries. There are no permanent human inhabitants.
Jul 20, 2022 · The report found that, like elsewhere in Australia, climate change is a key driver of change in Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic and the Southern Ocean. Pollution, tourism, commercial fishing, and an expanding human presence, also affect the Antarctic region.
