Melting of Arctic’s ‘Last Ice Area’, earlier than expected

About the Last Ice Area

• In the condition of the disappearance of summer ice in the Arctic by the year 2040, the only place that would be able to withstand a warming climate would be the area of ice called the “Last Ice Area”.
• This piece of ice is situated above northern Canada and Greenland.
• It is expected to last the longest time.
• WWF-Canada was the first to call this area the ‘Last Ice Area’.
  
  
  

Significance of the area:

• The area is important because it was thought to be able to help ice-dependent species as ice in the surrounding areas melted away.
• The area is used by polar bears to hunt for seals who use ice to build dens for their offspring.
• Walruses too, use the surface of the ice for foraging.

Reasons behind the change:

• About 80 percent of thinning can be attributed to weather-related factors such as winds that break up and move the ice around.
• The remaining 20 percent can be attributed to the longer-term thinning of the ice due to global warming.