Tourist MICE Business and Investment Press & Agents

The Official Tourism and Business Site of Greenland

English dansk deutsch
TouristTravel offersTravel infoTowns & RegionsCultureNature & ClimateActivitiesCruise
 
  • Climatic Changes
  • Icebergs
  • Midnight Sun
  • Northern Lights
  • The Ice Cap
  • Fauna of Greenland
  • Flora of Greenland
  • The weather in Greenland
  • The National Park
  • Hot Springs
  • Glaciers
Print pagePrint pageSend linkSend linkBookmark and Share

Climatic Changes

Greenland’s ice is melting

Global warming and Greenland
Climate change and global warming are hot topics of discussion all over the world, and these discussions are particularly relevant in relation to Greenland as the ice sheet is often mentioned in connection with the debates on increases in global temperature. Frozen fresh water is bound in the form of millions of cubic metres of ice in Greenland, and overall the country contains 10 per cent of the world’s total reserves of fresh water.

Emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide
The crucial question in the debate about the climate is whether the increasing temperatures are a natural phenomenon or caused by man; in other words, whether the manmade emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide has the effect of increasing the global temperature or not.

 
Icecap melting
Melting pot on the ice sheet

Today even more and more climate sceptics no longer doubt that man plays a role in global warming. So far more than 180 countries have signed the UN’s Kyoto Protocol, which aims to reduce the industrial emission of carbon dioxide, which is suspected of increasing the rate of global warming.

The melting Greenlandic ice
If temperatures continue to rise, it is natural to ask how much the planet’s ice masses will be affected. Sealers and whalers at Qaanaaq say that the sea ice is 1 metre (3 feet) thinner today than it was earlier. East Greenlanders see less ice from the Arctic Ocean than earlier, and both scientists as well as tourist guides report that in certain areas of the country glacier heads are pulling back year after year. This applies not least to the UNESCO-protected ice fjord near Ilulissat, which has pulled back almost 10 km (6 miles) between 2001 and 2004. Whether more ice is melting than new ice is being created is the question on which science is concentrating on finding an answer to at the present time. But recent studies suggest that the balance is negative; Greenland is loosing more ice than it is gaining in other words.

Melting icecap
Today there is a net loss of ice


Arctic freshwater reserves at risk
Both scientists and non-specialists are focusing their attention on the 2.85 million km3 (100.600.000.000 million of cubic feet) ice sheet, which in the long term is in danger of melting as a result of continued increases in temperature. If this happens, the world’s oceans will rise by 6-7 metres (20-23 feet). The horizon for such a scenario is a few hundred or a few thousand years, depending on which researcher you ask.

Still lots of ice to see
While doubt still prevails as to the speed at which the volume of the ice is declining and the complex relationships between causes of temperature increases, there is one thing that is certain: New ice will continue to be created on the ice sheet and there will still be enormous amounts of ice to admire in Greenland for the next many generations. It is just a question of how much...

Extras
Watch this documentary about the climate changes:
One degree matters — Full movie from European Environment Agency on Vimeo.
 





click here

Review / feedback

Did you receive the information you required or do you still require some more information?
Help us to improve Greenland.com by providing your comments to the article above.
My comments:
Captcha billede
Please enter the text from the picture:

Most read articles

  • 1. Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis
  • 2. The weather in Greenland
  • 3. Package tours to Greenland
  • 4. Nuuk
  • 5. Traditional dress
  • 6. Travel Routes
  • 7. Ilulissat Icefjord: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • 8. South Greenland
  • 9. Ilulissat
  • 10. Hiking

Travel offers

Expeditions in East Greenland at 70 degrees north
Expeditions in East Greenland at 70 degrees north
  • Description
Join our dogsledge expedition in the worlds biggest nationalpark.
Nanu Travel
Round the Disko Bay, incl. Uummannaq
Round the Disko Bay, incl. Uummannaq
  • Description
  • Details
Cruise & Hotel – 14 days’ individual travel round the Disko Bay
Type: Package tour
Duration: from 14 days
Prices from: DKK 15008,-
Disko Line A/S
Whale watching and Dogsledge
Whale watching and Dogsledge
  • Description
  • Details
10 days of ice, snow, northern lights, huskies and whales
Type: Package tour
Duration: from 10 days
Prices from: DKK 23970,-
Date(s) of departure: 4/5/2011, 4/19/2011, 5/3/2011
Topas Travel
Make dreams come true!
Make dreams come true!
  • Description
  • Details
The beauty of the arctic nature - find it all here!
Type: Package tour
Duration: from 8 days
Prices from: EUR 1675,-
Nordwind Reisen Gmbh
Stay at Ice Camp Eqi by the calving glacier
Stay at Ice Camp Eqi by the calving glacier
  • Description
  • Details
June - September, DKK 1295 full board included – Book online
Location: Ilulissat
World of Greenland
With helicopter to World Heritage ice fiord
With helicopter to World Heritage ice fiord
  • Description
  • Details
All year, DKK 2695 - Book online
Location: Ilulissat
World of Greenland
www.eastgreenland.com
www.eastgreenland.com
  • Description
... is the official tourism portal of East Greenland
Destination East Greenland - Ammassalik
From Settlement to Wilderness
From Settlement to Wilderness
  • Description
  • Details
12 days of trekking and boat trips in the magnificent South Greenland
Type: Package tour
Duration: from 12 days
Prices from: DKK 14970,-
Topas Travel
Cruise criss-cross the northern Greenland
Cruise criss-cross the northern Greenland
  • Description
  • Details
A wonderful 8 day cruise on the comfortable cruise ship MS Fram. Travel on June 12, 19 or 26 2011. Book before December 31 2010 and get a 10% reduction.
Type: Package tour
Duration: from 8 days
Prices from: DKK 28200,-
Date(s) of departure: 6/12/2011, 6/19/2011, 6/26/2011
Grønlands Rejsebureau/ Greenland Travel Copenhagen
Dog sledging with a night in tent
Dog sledging with a night in tent
  • Description
  • Details
January - April, DKK 4100 full board included - Book online
Location: Ilulissat
World of Greenland
Hunting and fishing in West Greenland
North Safari
Advertising on Greenland.com - Click here for more information

 

 

About GTBC Disclaimer Privacy Sitemap
info@greenland.com Contact Greenland Tourism & Business Council