Icebergs May Correct the Global Water Shortage

The topic of global warming, despite the mounds of evidence that supporters often display, still lacks much concrete proof of its occurrence. For instance, one might think that it is important to know how much the Arctic and Antarctic regions thaw every year versus the amount of snowfall they receive every year. However, science has been unable to give any sort of conclusive measurements regarding these data.

This phenomenon of the tradeoff between thawing and snowing is known as the ice cap balance. Recently, beginning in March to be exact, a team of researchers commenced a project to unravel some of the secrets of the Antarctic, like the ice cap balance. Called the International Polar Year 2007-2008, the program involved experts from more than 60 different countries.

The Russian scientists developed the concept for the program, considering that much of their nation is within the Arctic region. Together the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council of Scientific Unions approved their ideas in 2004. The program is centered on the collection of comprehensive data regarding the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as the speedy and efficient distribution of that collected data. In essence, the team of researchers hopes to collect a detailed yet overarching picture of what the environmental and climatic changes are, as well as what practical measures can be undertaken that will reverse the negative changes.

The project will also focus on icebergs, especially since they correspond to the current state of the Earth's polar ice caps. The main objective in studying icebergs will be to determine if and how they can be used for drinking water. Currently, nearly one-third of the world's population experiences water shortages, despite the fact that the Earth is made of 75% water. The WMO projects that if the trend remains the same, nearly two-thirds of the total population will have water shortages by 2025.