The Arctic region, which is known for its extreme cold and unique climate, plays a crucial role in the Earth’s environmental system. Covering the northernmost part of our planet, the Arctic experiences some of the coldest temperatures and most distinctive weather patterns on Earth.

The climate in the Arctic is characterized by long, bitterly cold winters and short, cool summers. The average temperature in winter can plummet to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius) or even lower, while summer temperatures generally range from just above freezing to around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

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Climate change is not just about rising temperatures, as it can also push the Earth’s systems to their limits, causing irreversible damage. Scientists have identified 9 critical tipping points that could be triggered by climate change.

These tipping points are crucial because once they are crossed, they can lead to drastic changes in our environment.

Let’s take a look at each of them.

Greenland Ice Sheet

The Greenland Ice Sheet holds a vast amount of ice. If it melts significantly, it could contribute to a large rise in sea levels, flooding coastal cities and …

An ice sheet is a massive layer of ice covering a significant portion of land, usually in polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland. These icy giants are among Earth’s largest natural features, shaped by centuries of snowfall accumulation that compresses into solid ice over time.

Ice sheets form where snowfall exceeds melting and sublimation (the direct transition from ice to vapor). Over thousands of years, layers of snow pile up and gradually compact under their weight, transforming into dense ice.

This process builds up immense thicknesses of ice, often several kilometers deep. The sheer weight of this ice …