Climate change impact: Antarctica is fast turning green due to extreme heat waves; here’s why it’s not a good thing

Parts of Antarctica, known for its icy landscapes, are rapidly turning green due to extreme heat waves, according to recent research. This change has raised concerns about the continent’s future, according to CNN.

Scientists from the University of Exeter, the University of Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey used satellite images and data to study the growing vegetation on the Antarctic Peninsula, which has been warming much faster than the global average, the publication added.

The research found that plant life, especially mosses, has increased over tenfold in the last 40 years. In 1986, vegetation covered less than 0.4 square miles of the Peninsula. But by 2021, this had grown to nearly 5 square miles.

Antarctica's greening has accelerated, especially between 2016 and 2021 as the region's warming rate accelerated.

Although most of Antarctica remains covered in snow, ice and rocks, the appearance of green areas is a significant change. Thomas Roland, one of the researchers from Exeter, explained that climate change is reaching even the most remote parts of the Earth.

“Our findings confirm that the influence of anthropogenic climate change has no limit in its reach, Even on the Antarctic Peninsula – this most extreme, remote and isolated ‘wilderness’ region – the landscape is changing, and these effects are visible from space,” Thomas Roland told the publication.

Why is it alarming?

Increasing green areas could lead to more soil formation, making the region suitable for invasive species, which may harm local wildlife. The greening could also reduce Antarctica's ability to reflect sunlight as darker plants absorb more heat.

Scientists believe that this process will speed up as the climate continues to warm, leading to more dramatic changes in the region's landscape. Future studies aim to examine how plants colonise newly exposed land as glaciers melt and retreat further.