PES » Global Warming » Information Center » Alaska, Northern Canada, and Greenland » Possible Consequences of Temperature Increases
	Temperatures in the Arctic tundra regions are expected to rise as the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. As temperatures rise, sea ice and land ice from the polar ice cap could melt and permafrost may thaw. As sea ice melts, the atmosphere above the ocean warms. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and a moister atmosphere may lead to higher levels of precipitation. The melting of sea ice may also be harmful to polar bears and other animals which depend on the sea ice for survival.		forward: Questions browse: Table of Contents
			Measurements show that the level of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing. (Graphs by Robert Simmon, based on data from the NOAA Climate Monitoring & Diagnostics Laboratory)
	On land, the thawing of permafrost may lead to changes in water drainage, increased land slumping and changes to the landscape over large areas. In Greenland, as the polar ice cap melts, freshwater is added to the ocean causing a rise in sea level. Scientists also predict that as freshwater is added to the ocean, ocean currents in the Atlantic may change. One possible outcome is that the Atlantic Gulf Stream will alter its course. This may have severe impacts on the European climate. Warming in the Arctic may also cause the boreal forests of Northern Canada and Alaska to migrate northward. The Arctic Ocean, however, limits the extent of how far they may migrate.		Sea Ice (Photograph courtesy Claire Parkinson, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
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