Glaciers are the great sick people of the Earth, on which the attention of scientists gathered in Paris is focused, in the international summit ‘One Planet-Polar Summit’, born from the initiative launched in 2017 by France, the United Nations and the World Bank. “One of the priority themes of this Summit is the melting of the cryosphere”, i.e. all the ice on the planet, Carlo Brabante, director of the Polar Sciences Institute of the National Research Council and member of the delegation of Italian researchers, told ANSA. present at the event. Overall, scholars from 40 countries are participating in the event.
“The melting of the ice causes sea levels to rise and, on the basis of the most recent data, also presented here in Paris, it is estimated that sea levels rise by 5 millimeters per year and that one centimeter of sea rise causes risk between two and three million people living in coastal areas”, noted Brabant. “It is foreseeable – she added – that migrations due to climate change are destined to increase”.
“The speed with which the glaciers are melting is also striking: just think that in 2022 the Alps lost 6% of their glaciers and in 2023 4%. We are therefore talking about 10% in the space of just two years.”
The data that scientists bring to the table at the Polar Summit are worrying, but according to the expert “it is very important to have brought together researchers and political decision-makers to discuss these issues”. As regards Italy, he observed, “the possible future unification of polar research in a common program is an important signal”, which the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini spoke about today. “Italy’s commitment to new projects is also important – added Brabante – also from the point of view of educational and training initiatives, such as the establishment of a doctorate in polar sciences”.
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Source: Ansa
I am a journalist with over 6 years of experience working in the news industry. I currently work as an author for Global Happenings, and my coverage focuses on Technology news. I have written for various publications, including Reuters, The New York Times and The Guardian.
