Record glacial melt in Alaska, climate activists demand action
Alaska’s glaciers may never be the same again… scientists say they are melting at record or near-record levels.
Lemon Creek Glacier in Juneau had 3 meters erased from the surface this year. And according to a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey - that makes 2019 its second consecutive year of record mass loss.
Drastic melting has been reported not only in Juneau, but across the state.
At Kenai Fjords National Park - which former President Barack Obama once visited to call attention to climate change - Bear Glacier has retreated about half a mile in just 11 months, according to the National Park Service.
That’s a serious problem, according to scientists who point to sea level rise as the major effect of glacial melt.
2019 is also shaping up to be Alaska’s hottest year on record.
Activists around the world have been trying to draw attention to the devastating effects of global warming to inspire leaders to do more to protect the planet.
In downtown Washington, DC on Friday, protesters blocked streets during the morning commute.
And the global face of the movement, Greta Thunberg - arrived at Madrid’s U.N. Climate Summit in an electric car.
World leaders are in Madrid to discuss ways to halt catastrophic warming caused by human-driven greenhouse gas emissions.
