How can we understand global warming as it relates to its impact on Polar Bear Survival? 🐻‍❄️ Global warming refers to the long-term increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. When fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and methane gas are burned for energy, they release carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases. These gases accumulate in the atmosphere, forming a heat-trapping layer that contributes to the warming of the air, land, and oceans ❄️ As this “heat-trapping blanket” thickens, the resulting climatic changes have profound consequences across ecosystems, particularly in the Arctic. Rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of sea ice — a critical habitat for polar bears and the northern communities that share these environments. During this #PolarBearWeek, we are acutely aware how sea ice plays a vital role in polar bear ecology. It serves as an important springboard for hunting seals, a surface for...