Arctic Amplification ( UPSC Prelims)

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News Context

In February 2025, unusually high air temperatures and rainfall across Svalbard (an archipelago in the Arctic) led to extensive snowmelt and the accumulation of meltwater, a consequence of Arctic Amplification.

About Arctic Amplification

Arctic Amplification is a phenomenon where the climate in the Arctic experiences warming at a faster rate compared to the rest of the Earth. Key factors contributing to this include a reduced albedo effect due to the melting of reflective ice, which acts as a feedback loop; the lapse rate feedback, where warming from greenhouse gases (GHG) is most pronounced near the surface, unlike in the tropics where extra heat is distributed vertically through convection; the Water Vapour Triple Effect, which results in increased cloud cover, releases heat during condensation, and acts as a greenhouse gas; and the atmospheric heat transport from the tropics.
 The impact of Arctic Amplification includes the acceleration of global warming due to permafrost thawing and ecological changes. For India, the effects include the disruption of the Indian Monsoon and a rise in sea levels, among other consequences.