Many explorers, travel writers, photographers, and artists have been inspired by the glacial beauty of the Arctic over the years. Whether it is the vast ice sheets that cover much of the region’s landscape, the amazing array of wildlife to be found there or the stunning Northern Lights that illuminate its skies, the mysterious sights of this area have never failed to enthrall all those who witness them. Sadly, however, many parts of the region are under serious threat of disappearing forever, thanks to the human-created phenomenon of climate change. Over the past few decades, industrial activities have led to a massive increase in global greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and carbon dioxide (so named because they exert a “warming” effect on the planet’s atmosphere). According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, average yearly temperatures across the U.S. have risen by 2 degrees in the last fifty years. Worldwide, scientists estimate that annual temperatures rose by approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit) between 1950 and 2013. It was recently reported that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions have even managed to cancel the next ice age, scheduled to take place in 50,000 years’ time! Extensive clearance of the planet’s ancient rainforests is a major factor behind our increased emissions of these gases. For example, forest destruction in the Amazon (where cattle ranching accounts for an estimated 70 percent of the clearance that has taken place) has been linked to the disappearance of polar bears’ natural habitat in the Arctic. As the ice begins to melt, polar bears have been faced with progressively more severe food shortages, and this, in turn, has driven them to start consuming dolphins for the first time in recorded history. The melting of Arctic ice is also disrupting the migration patterns of whales and walruses, among others. One of the largest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions is animal agriculture. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while other organizations like the Worldwatch Institute have estimated it could be as much as 51 percent. Not only is animal agriculture responsible for exorbitant greenhouse gas emissions, this destructive industry currently occupies over half of the world’s arable land resources, uses the majority of our freshwater stores. Earth has lost an estimated 52 percent of its wildlife in the past forty years alone and is currently experiencing its sixth mass extinction event – this time, driven by human activities, as opposed to the previous five which were caused by natural disasters. Text and CREDITS: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/