AHHHHH WE’RE MELTING! Pall, a well-regarded hiking guide in Iceland, scans the river ditch trying to find a way down into it since it appears that the ice bridge that he normally hikes across has melted away. He had done the same hike earlier this summer and the ice bridge was thick enough and sturdy enough to pass without a problem, but now a few months later is has melted down to a few chunks of ice in the middle of a stream. The stream itself runs from a glacier and is most likely flowing faster than any previous summer because Iceland’s glaciers are melting faster than scientists predicted. Later that day many of us got to experience walking on a glacier for the first time, but in reality this was merely a glacial remnant, that we were later told would probably be non-existent within the next two years.
At home, our latitude and resources have minimized the effects of global warming but here in Iceland it is impossible to ignore the signs that global warming is altering our life and that it is faster than predicted. During our first week here we met with Konrad Thorisson from the Marine Research Institute in Reykjavik who stated that over the past fifteen years the rises in the Arctic Sea temperatures have changed the dynamic of the ocean ecosystems that surround this island. The rising sea temperatures have brought monkfish to the southern seas, but have also caused the collapse of the capelin and shrimp populations. Additionally, the halibut and scallop stocks have been decreasing due to parasites, which are many times associated with global warming. With fish accounting for 40% of Iceland’s exports and a staple part of the natives’ diet further warming of the arctic seas could wreak further havoc on Iceland’s economy and major food source.
During our trip to Reykjavik we also got to meet with many members of the National Energy Authority, which represents 76% of the market share for electricity in Iceland. Their hydropower production is greatly dependent on glacial rivers and has seen the effects of global warming. They are currently benefiting from the glaciers melting quickly and therefore filling the dams. This is clean renewable energy, yet if these glaciers continue to melt without seasonal recharge, the renewable energy source will not last long. Without glaciers to feed these dams, Iceland’s hydropower is now predicted to last only a mere 100 years.
Later on in our hike, Pall and Rosa detoured us off the path to an ice cave where we all whipped out our headlamps to explore the crystal blue ice ceilings. After exploring the cave we ate a delicious snack of traditional Icelandic doughnuts and were then told that the CELL group last year had experienced this cave differently; there was an additional 15 feet of ice cover. Other ice caves were unexplorable because the melting ice made them hazardous. It is impossible to escape the effects of global warming in Iceland. Fisheries, energy, and natural wonders all show evidence of global warming. - Jeannie
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