What is so bad about all the ice melting?

Question

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/06/27/north.pole.melting/index.html

Answer 1

Ice at the north pole is not the big problem aside from animal habitats as it is all sea ice. The major problem for us arises when land ice starts to melt which, for a start causes the sea level to rise meaning more flooding.

The other problem is that an influx of cold, fresh water into the oceans could potentially s***w with the thermohaline circulation which would alter ocean currents. The effect of this is not entirely known but could cause a cooling of high latitudes in Europe resulting in a colder climate there which could in turn trigger an ice age (via a feedback mechanism involving increased planetary albedo reflecting more and more solar radiation back into space)

Answer 2

If ALL the ice and snow (including Greenland and the Antarctic) were to totally melt - sea level would increase by about 600 feet. Yes, that's right, 600 feet.

While it is highly unlikely to ever occur, and if it did it would take hundreds of years, all coastal areas with elevations under 600 feet above present sea level would be inundated. Perhaps now you understand "what is so bad about all the ice melting".

Answer 3

I don't think it's really a "bad" thing. But it sounds like it will have effects on our weather and landscapes, i.e., flooding, landslides, natural disasters, hurricanes and wildfires.

The earth is constantly evolving. It went from being Pangaea, to the seven continents we know today. For that to happen, changes in the earth occurred over the ages.

I think we will be witnessing many more changes coming about.

Answer 4

Ice is a way of locking water in a certain place. Like ice cubes in the fridge. Except its two massive ice sheets at the poles. If it melts, all that waters gonna go somewhere...the ocean. And that means the ocean rises...buy a LOT. Just like heaps of ice cubes in water. So if it melts, London, New York, and pretty much anywhere within miles of the coast is totally screwed...sad but true.