Antarctica is gaining ice, and why that doesn't mean global warming is false

All other data indicates that global wamring is happening.

A new study from NASA concludes that Antarctic sea ice increased between 2003 to 2008, contrary to popular belief. These gains, all in East Antarctica, are expected to offset losses in West Antarctica. However, this discovery should not be taken to mean that global warming isn't happening.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Is the ice in Antarctica growing or shrinking? According to science, the answer is, "yes." Antarctica is rapidly losing ice in the west while ice is growing in the east. However, more ice is accumulating in the east than is melting in the west.

It appears, according to satellite data gleaned from 2003 to 2008, that fresh snow accumulation in East Antarctica is responsible for thickening the ice sheets there and adding to the net quantity of ice on the continent. It should be noted that the study's newest data is from 2008.

In West Antarctica, ice is melting quickly and the pace of the melting is accelerating, a problem attributed to global warming.

But how does this fit the narrative that the planet is warming and the world is in crisis?

It doesn't. However, this does not mean that the global warming meta-narrative is false. All of the scientific data concludes the planet is warming. Every single other metric reflects this from temperature records to sea levels.

What is does suggest, is that the models do not capture every complexity of climate change wrought by global warming. This is a legacy problem of climate modeling. Scientists don't have accurate models that can predict the weather with precision even a few days distant. It's absurd to think their models can also predict weather years from now, with any precision.

But precision isn't required to discern trends, and it is the trends which appear to be both accurate and startling.

It's important to acknowledge the distinction between weather, which is short-term, and climate, which is long term, seen in trends. While the weather may show ice building in one spot on the planet, that doesn't negate the fact that the climate is warming, in lock step with human CO2 emissions.

There are no models which correctly account for this accumulation of ice in Antarctica. Also, the NASA study needs further review, and it needs to be updated with more recent data, to confirm the trend.

There is almost certainly an underestimation of the ice loss in the Northern Hemisphere because it is the only variable that can explain the added sea level rise we continue to observe. Finally, as the planet warms, water expands, and this also contributes to sea level rise.

Atmospheric CO2 continues to rise and this year, 2015, has so far been the hottest year on global record since the 1880s when comprehensive records were first kept.

The growth of ice in Antarctica is a good thing in itself, but it shouldn't be construed as a silver bullet which diminishes the threat of global warming, or as an excuse to continue polluting the planet.

---

The California Network is the Next Wave in delivery of information and entertainment on pop culture, social trends, lifestyle, entertainment, news, politics and economics. We are hyper-focused on one audience, YOU, the connected generation. JOIN US AS WE REDEFINE AND REVOLUTIONIZE THE EVER-CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.