Two Pictures Taken 105 Years Apart Highlight the Reality of Climate Change

The subject of climatic change has never been relevant as it is today. 

Seeing the increasing number of vital changes in weather patterns taking place in different parts of the world, at such high frequency, it is now difficult to ignore the red flags. 

Heat waves, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, drought, disease, the human race has experienced it all. 

The Arctic region has undoubtedly witnessed drastic weather and environmental changes. The retreat and downsize of glaciers in the arctic region is a strong indication of global warming. A sign that that sea levels would rise with major effects on world climate! 

Studies indicate that the Arctic region is warming quickly than any other region in the world. 

This truth has been brought to light today by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan.

He shared two contrasting pictures from the arctic region. The photographs were taken hundred years apart.  

He captioned the picture, “This is Arctic 105 years apart. Both pictures were taken in the summer. Do you notice anything special? Courtesy Christian Åslund.”

In the first picture, you cannot see the mountain range behind the towering glacier while in the second picture the mountains are clearly visible while the glaciers have sunk in size. A drastic geographical change in 105 years!

The pictures were part of a 2003 series created by photographer Christian Åslund and Greenpeace, titled “Glacier comparison – Svalbard.”

“I shot this in 2003. Knowledge of climate change wasn't as common, our attitudes towards climate change were different,” Mr Åslund said in a 2017 interview. 

This is how some twitter users reacted to the thought-provoking image: 

“Ice dissappeared. A natural habitat for some species gone and with that the species also gone.” ~ Red@drnihas

“105 yrs is huge. Within a span of just 20 yrs in my native town- Kakching,Manipur, 

1. Home sparrow disappeared 

2. Morning fog & frost rare 

3. Roadside grasses replaced by concrete

 4. Fireflies disappeared 5. Sound of cuckoos in winter morning not heard.” ~ @reagan_moirangthem 

“Don't want the day to come, when a similar photo comparison will be made between Gangotri glacier of 2001 and 2031. Global warming isn't a myth.”~ Om Prakash Veer.

“In another decade we can see cement all over; which can make up for those lost Ice..Be Human!!” ~ Senthil Nathan 

Climatic changes can be reduced if we take necessary steps to curb factors that lead to it. It’s high time that citizens and world leaders work together to find solutions. Many organizations are already working to solve the climate crisis.