ON BOARD THE ARC SIMON BOLIVAR (Antarctica): Sea ice levels in Antarctica have registered historic lows for three consecutive years, portending grave consequences for life on Earth as we know it.

But looking out over the southernmost continent, scientist Miguel Angel de Pablo laments that humanity seems to be oblivious to the warnings.

“We (scientists) are very worried... because we don’t see how we can solve it ourselves,” the Spanish planetary geologist told AFP on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Antarctic archipelago.

“The more alerts we send out... to make society aware of what is happening, it seems we are not listened to, that we are (perceived as) alarmist” despite the evidence, he said.

The US National Snow & Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) reported on Wednesday that minimum Antarctic sea ice extent came in at under two million square kilometres (772,000 square miles) for a third consecutive February — the height of the southern summer thaw season.

Minimum sea ice cover for all three years were the lowest since records began 46 years ago.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2024