Polar ice safe

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 12

Polar ice safe

Some scientists believe that if mankind keeps on burning coal and oil products in such tremendous amounts, the temperature on the planet in the next century will increase by three or four degrees. This would cause melting of the ice on the planet’s poles. However, one of the leading Soviet climatologists, Alexander Krenke, regards such forecasts as premature. “Not all the experts hold such an opinion on the future of polar ice. Long-term observations of the glaciers show that they are not going to rri&lt at all. Quite the reverse.

For instance, ice conditions in the Arctic over the recent decade have become more severe than, say, 40 years ago. “According, to Swiss glaciologists the alpine glaciers have become more aggressive: between 50 and 70 per cent of them are advancing. No indications of ice melting can be found in the Antarctic,” Dr Krenke says. “If I am to make climatic forecasts for the near future, I think it will be slightly warmer, by a degree or a degree and a half,” Dr Krenke