English 100
“One tricky question is whether the overall accelerated melting of the ice sheets can be linked to man-made climate change” . This is one of the controversial issues that Naik tried to address in his article entitled “Polar Ice Sheets Melt Faster” published online in The Wall Street Journal. The apparent participation of humans as contributory for the eroding glacial ice was likewise evaluated in greater depth by Revkin in his article entitled “A Message in Eroding Glacial Ice: Humans Are Turning Up the Heat” published in The New York Times. The current discourse hereby aims to present a comparative analysis of points and issues discussed by the two authors in their respective articles as they delved in the apparently disturbing concern of accelerating rate of polar ice melt.
One point of similarity among these two articles revealed evidences of acceleration in the rate of melting of the polar ice. Naik contended that due to the faster melting rate, “in the 1990s, melting of the polar ice sheets was responsible for about 10% of the global sea-level rise, but now it represents about 30%” (par. 4). The statement was corroborated by Revkin as he quoted
Dr. Lonnie G. Thompson, a senior research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center of Ohio State University to assert that “the melting is generally quickest in and near the tropicswith some ancient glaciers in the Andes -- and the ice on Kilimanjaro -- melting fastest of all” (1). These arguments validly supported the increasing rate of meltdown in the polar region.
Another point of similarity that was discussed pointed to human activity as contributory to global warming. This was clearly asserted by Revkin when he disclosed that “one of the clearest signs that a global warming trend in the last 50 years may have exceeded typical climate shifts and is at least partly caused by gases released by human activities” (par. 2). Concurrently, Naik was quoted above to have insinuated man-made climate change to continuously be evaluated as the possible which could be linked to the accelerated melting of polar caps.
On the contrary, there were disparities in views which were asserted; one of which was the location where ice melting seemed to be exhibited at its fastest pace. In Naik’s article, the author identified areas such as Antarctica and Greenland; whereas Revkin pinpointed Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are melting fastest.
Another area of difference that was presented by these authors include the apparent effects of the melting polar ice in terms of imminent danger. According to Naik, who cited Andrew Shepherd, a professor of earth observation at the University of Leeds in England that there rising sea levels pose “no immediate threatBut we can at least warn people that there are instabilities that need to be investigated” (par. 23). On the other hand, Revkin openly identified negative impacts of the retreating glacial ice to result to devastating flash floods and threats to water supplies within the vicinities of Peru and Nepal.
The eroding polar ice was found to be a disturbing phenomenon in the articles written by Naik and Revkin with some similarities and disparities in points that were discussed. There were similarities in terms of the accelerated rate of meltdown; as well as in the role that human activities play in global warming. On the other hand, the differences in perspectives were identified to be in the areas or locations where the meltdown allegedly appears to be fastest and the evident negative threat to man. These findings have proven that more vigilance and continued research should be undertaken to confirm the accelerated rate of melting polar ice to confirm its impact to man on a global scale and to suggest ways to cope with the adverse effects.
Works Cited
Naik, Gautam. "Polar Ice Sheets Melt Faster." 29 November 2012. The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323751104578149073844418936. 11 November 2013.
Revkin, Andrew C. "A Message in Eroding Glacial Ice: Humans Are Turning Up the Heat." 19 February 2001. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/19/world/a-message-in-eroding-glacial-ice-humans-are-turning-up-the-heat.html?src=pm. 21 November 2013.
