PL | EN

Alaska on fire and melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica

According to the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS), in the summer 2022, tens of thousands of lightning strikes caused the majority of fires in Alaska. By the end of August this year, more than 1.2 million hectares had burned across the state. This is nearly three times as much as the annual average value. Fires devouring tundra and boreal forests release huge amounts of greenhouse gases from carbon-rich organic soil. According to a report by Copernicus Climate Change Service, Arctic fires that erupted above the 66th  North Parallel released approximately 16 million tCO into the atmosphere in 2021 – roughly the annual emissions of the Peruvian economy.

This September, Greenland has recorded historically the largest ice melt for the month, comparable only to the summer months. The first day of September usually marks the end of the melting season in Greenland, as the sun moves lower and temperatures drop. However, the warm airflow moving northwards across Baffin Bay and the west coast of Greenland has resulted in rising temperatures and the loss of tens of billions of tonnes of ice.

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, among other institutions, have for the first time mapped a significant area of the seafloor in front of the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica at high resolution, revealing the rate at which it retreated in the past. The study indicates that the glacier may retreat at high speed in future years. Experts suggest that the total loss of the Thwaites Glacier and surrounding ice pools may raise sea levels by 1 to 3 m.

Read also
Women’s rights: France and positive changes in the USA
Women’s rights: France and positive changes in the USA
After France became the only country to guarantee the right to abortion in its constitution explicitly, other European countries are examining their abortion laws. In Italy, a 1978 law allows medical personnel to refuse to perform an abortion on moral grounds, which in practice often significantly limits access to the procedure and forces women to […]
Asian economies: Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore
Asian economies: Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore
The Indonesian and Thai authorities intend to distribute cash and food worth USD 43 billion to their citizens, which loans will primarily finance. In Thailand, each adult citizen will receive almost USD 280, which should stimulate consumer spending. The total cost of the program will be USD 14 billion. In Indonesia, the country’s likely future […]
The European food crisis and controversial airdrops in the Gaza Strip
The European food crisis and controversial airdrops in the Gaza Strip
European officials, food safety experts, and industry representatives recently gathered in Brussels to discuss potential solutions to a looming food crisis in Europe. The pandemic has created several challenges, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, disruptions to shipping routes and supply chains, and unpredictable and extreme weather conditions. Sadly, in 2022, weather and climatic events in […]
Ibogaine, counting butterflies, menopause and depressive disorders
Ibogaine, counting butterflies, menopause and depressive disorders
Scientists studying ibogaine, a psychedelic substance, report its possible therapeutic potential in the treatment of addictions and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the small studies conducted so far, where opioid addicts were given ibogaine, from ⅓ to ⅔ of people from the study group were cured. However, the psychedelic can cause fatal heart rhythm disturbances, making […]
Egypt, Cuba and Argentina’s fight against the economic crisis
Egypt, Cuba and Argentina’s fight against the economic crisis
In response to inflation and the decline in the purchasing power of the Egyptian pound in relation to the dollar, the inhabitants of Egypt are looking for a safe place to invest their assets, so they trade in gold, real estate and cars. The Egyptian authorities increased the aid agreement with the International Monetary Fund […]
Previous issues