Glaciers, ice sheets and arctic
ecosystems will be severely affected by  climate change. Glaciers around the world are already shrinking, threatening wildlife and freshwater supplies. Global climate models predict extreme warming in the arctic if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Meanwhile, warmer ocean temperatures will transport large amounts of heat to coastal Antarctica. Local impacts will be severe, but these changes will be felt throughout the world.

Arctic Thaw: In the arctic, warmer temperatures will bring a loss of sea ice and permafrost, disrupt ecosystems and traditional lifestyles, as well as wreak havoc with modern infrastructure.

Collapsing Ice Sheets: Enormous land-based ice sheets perched near the poles appear to be vulnerable to human-caused climate change. If these ice sheets collapse, adding their bulk to the oceans, sea level could rise by many metres in a matter of centuries.

Melting Mountains: The extraordinary Canadian alpine wilderness is threatened by climate change. Ecosystems will undergo severe upheaval, challenging their ability to adapt, while shrinking snowpack will reduce the freshwater supplies humans depend on.