A Continent in Crisis

Even the most remote place on Earth is beginning to crumble as the planet’s warming woes continue.

- By Karen McGhee

WHEN BRITISH ANTARCTIC survey scientist Peter Fretwell spoke in July 2023 at the SCAR biology symposium in Christchurch, New Zealand, his words drew gasps of despair that later rippled around the world. SCAR – the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research – represents scientists conducting research at Earth’s great frozen southern continent. The Christchurch gathering was their first face-to-face conference since the COVID pandemic began.

Peter, a cartographer renowned for monitoring wildlife at the planet’s remote poles by using high-resolution satellite imagery, was there to present some alarming news – evidence of catastrophic breeding failure in emperor penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula due to record low levels of sea ice.

Sea ice is frozen seawater, and it forms, metres deep, around Antarctica each winter. It floats on top of the ocean, clinging to the continent’s edge while stretching across the water for many kilometres. It retreats in summer, although never completely, and its seasonal fluctuations influence the global climate. It also profoundly and directly affects the Antarctic environment, where it influences ocean circulation, weather and the local climate. The rhythmic coming and going of sea ice is critical to all Antarctic life, from crabeater, Weddell and leopard seals, to humpback whales, Adélie and chinstrap penguins, and Antarctic skuas. But it’s particularly important to emperor penguins because it’s the place where most of them breed.