Antarctic Iceberg A68: Are we to blame?

Last week a massive iceberg split from Antarctica causing significant news globally.

Media outlets have described the iceberg as ‘nearly the size of Delaware’ and ‘one quarter the size of Wales’. The newly independent shelf has even been given a name, A68. To highlight just how noteworthy an event this was, Rod Downie, the head of polar programs at the WWF, was quoted as saying, ‘the sheer scale of this natural calving event is impressive – we will need to redraw the map of the Atlantic Peninsula.’

While many have quickly pointed to the event as a sure sign of global warming, this is not necessarily the case. Martin O’Leary, a glaciologist at Swansea University who was part of a team studying the ice shelf the iceberg split from, called it ‘a natural event’. He continued to argue that there is no evidence that humans played a role in its occurrence.

Since O’Leary’s comments, scientists from prestigious bodies including NASA, have asserted that this event was not part of a natural cycle but rather a consequence of manmade climate change. Clearly there isn’t a consensus on this particular event. Does this mean that A68 is not a harbinger of things to come in Antarctica? The answer is most likely no, we are certain to see more of these events.

The environmental effects of calving are wide-ranging. The immediate consequence is a lack of space for animals that live in the area. Varying species of penguins are perhaps the most affected by these incidents. Thankfully, this iceberg was not believed to be home to any penguins. More seriously than this however, further calving of the Antarctic will lead to a rise in global sea levels. The economic effect will be huge as affluent coastal neighborhoods disappear. In wealthy nations like the U.S. people will be able to be move away as the waters rise and areas become unlivable. For small island countries the threat is far more significant. Tuvalu, which sits in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, is a perfect example. It has been earmarked as one of the likeliest countries to be severely affected by rising sea levels and could see huge parts of the island become submerged. No one has yet given any answer as to where these people will go or who will pay for their repatriation.

It is important to note that the newly formed iceberg will not affect sea levels. A68 split off from a larger ice shelf known as Larsen C. An ice shelf, by definition, is already floating on the ocean, and as a result will not contribute to rising water globally. That being said, the ice shelves in the Antarctic act as a blockage for the fresh water glaciers that exist there. The erosion of ice shelves like A68 will allow glaciers to flow freely into the open ocean. They will melt. This will undoubtedly contribute to rising sea levels.

While the link between human influenced global warming and the calving event of A68 is still in debate, it is a sign of what’s to come. With global warming these events will become more prevalent and countries like Tuvalu will have serious questions to face.