While slight cooling trends sometimes prevail inland, the Antarctic coast is feeling the heat.

A new study has recently brought the discovery of a slight increase in the Antarctic continental ice pack. Climate change deniers are, of course, implying these findings refute climate science. Nothing could be farther from the truth. [caption id="attachment_314" align="aligncenter" width="408"] An iceberg that calved off Iceberg B-15 caused extensive pack ice buildup in McMurdo Sound, blocking shipping and preventing penguin access to open water[/caption] Nasa reports that despite the reported gains in ice on the continent of Antarctica, global sea ice is still diminishing.

When sea ice melts, dark waters are exposed. The dark ocean surface absorbs more of the suns warming rays than the white reflective ice surface, and the warming cycle is strengthened. The warming sea temperatures bring more active and warmer weather on land nearby, aggravating land ice loss, the greatest contributor to sea level rise.

Most of the warming is taking place in the Arctic anyway. But, deniers like to rail on about Antarctica when it’s the end of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. They say “Look at all the ice down there, global warming is false!”, and hope we forget that in Antarctica, it’s been winter for the last eight months. [caption id="attachment_316" align="aligncenter" width="408"] While local residents are unwilling to comment, the effect on their daily life is clear. For penguins, as for us all, climate change is life threatening.[/caption]

Just to drive it home, here’s Margaret Thatcher warning us all about Climate Change from way back in the 1980’s. Enjoy.