UPSC Mains 2017 · GS I · Q8 · 10 marks · 150 words

How does the cryosphere affect global climate ?

हिन्दी में

हिमांक-मंडल (क्रायोस्फ़ेयर) वैश्विक जलवायु को किस प्रकार प्रभावित करता है ?

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “How does the polar cryosphere play a pivotal role in regulating the Earth's climate system? Also, enumerate the key factors responsible for rapid warming in the Arctic.”

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 221 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a figure

Recently the IPCC AR6 highlighted trend of Arctic Amplification, where Arctic Region is warming 2.5 times faster then rest of Earth.

Body · points

Role of Polar cryosphere

(1) Wind system → eg polar vortex creation and polar wind cell.

(2) Temperature Regulation → eg cooling due to albedo of cryosphere.

(3) Fresh water → eg - Polar ice caps sources

(4) Pressure condition Regulation → By high pressure in polar region

(5) Sea water regulation → By trapping water in form of ice → no rise in sea temperature.

(6) Role in Monsoon system → Recent study of IMD highlights key role.

factors Responsible for rapid warming

(1) Climate change and rise in green house gas emission

(2) Black carbon → melts the ice

(3) Arctic amplification → due to reduction of albedo of ice

(4) Human intervention in the region Eg Arctic Mission of USA.

(5) Compounding of the effect Eg Tripple planetary crisis

(6) Emissions of per fluoro acids → loss of polar stratospheric clouds

(7) Natural process Role → volcano in greenland

Way forward

→ Reduction in emission of green house gases → R&D for adaptation → Mitigation of effect → Reversing of trend eg Technology like artificial glacier.

Close · a way forward

Thus, global collaboration and a dedicated Arctic Treaty is need of the hour to save our planet from this ticking bomb.

2 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper I, Q8. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.