Reports suggest that global warming has a direct impact on the steady melting of ice in the Polar Caps of the north and south poles. It has been reported that ice in Greenland alone has melted by 19 million tons. The volume of ice reported in the Arctic region was just half in 2007 from its volume 4 years ago. The ice is melting at a faster pace every year and some early investigations have revealed that ice caps in the south and north poles will disappear completely between the years 2040 and 2100.
NASA is actively working on working out the statistics of the effects of global warming on the ice caps. For example, NASA reported that in March, 2008 a chunk of ice measuring 414 square kilometers collapsed. Slabs of huge sized ice are breaking apart from their source and then floating under the influence of ocean currents.
Researchers have confirmed that this is the result of global warming. Ice will begin breaking apart and begin to drown at the bottom of the oceans. Half of the total ice will disappear in the next few years.
The direct impact of the melting ice caps is the rise in the level of oceans and seas. In the near future, if ice melts at the same rate than the coastal towns all over the world will face risk of drowning down under. The chance of floods will increase. Experts estimate that if the entire ice of Greenland melts.
The melting of ice caps is also shrinking the living habitat of animals and birds in the cold regions. These animals include the polar bear, penguins, sea lions and birds. With their habitats shrinking, these animals will have no where to go then the global sea level will increase by an astounding 7 meters. This level is enough to sink the entire coastland of the different regions in the world.
And with the end of the glaciers we will experience the end of fresh water. Between 1960 and 2005, the number of glaciers who lost to the sea was 8,000 cubic meters on an average. With limited drinking resources the glaciers could have been a good resource of pure and clean water. But when they are gone, fresh water goes with them as well. The effects of global warming have climatic changes as well. For example, there is no fixed time of seasons now in many countries. Even the occurrence of heat waves in many parts of USA has increased tremendously.