This week, many experienced Climate Scientists are convening in Vancouver to talk about climate change. ArcticNet is a conference that is held for such scientists annually in different locations, but this one is particularly daunting. The climate in the northern hemisphere is being altered rapidly, and the scientists are going over the repercussions to the Arctic if something is not changed immediately.

Of course, global climate change is affecting the entire earth. However, the Arctic is being affected by climate change much more quickly than any other part of the planet. By the year 2050, it is going to suffer from a temperature increase of at least 4 degrees if something is not done.

What are some of the things to be concerned about if greenhouse gas emissions are not regulated? ArcticNet came up with many answers. Scientists predict that the time snow spends on the ground will decrease by at least a month, and the amount of precipitation in seasons such as Spring and Fall will increase. This means that there will be a shorter period in which ice forms in the Arctic’s lakes and rivers. The Arctic may even have an entire summer without ice in its future.

Rapid change in the Arctic, of course, will affect other parts of the world as well. Sea levels are rising everywhere because the Arctic’s glaciers are melting faster than they have in 2,000 years. This increases the chance of more frequent and damaging storms, and the scientists cannot accurately predict exactly how the weather in specific regions will change. There is no doubting, however, that these changes will have a detrimental impact on wildlife in all affected regions. It will also, eventually, change how we must live our lives.

ArcticNet houses the largest community of arctic scientists in the world. The conference happens yearly so scientists can get together and discuss climate change and how it affects animal migration patterns, health, environment, and the community. This particular year’s conference was a pressing one because the situation in the Arctic is more dire than ever. However, the conference provides hope for the future. Not only are top scientists convening to see what can be done to prevent further climate change, but there are new young people joining this conference every year. A new generation is getting involved in saving the planet, and that provides hope that the fight against climate change will be continued for years to come.

For more information about the ArcticNet conference, go to CBC News.