Greenland

Greenland - the largest island in the world, located between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. More than 80% of the island is covered with ice, in the coastal waters of drifting icebergs, and the banks are cut by fjords.

Most huge icebergs break off from the world's largest glacier Jakobshavn near the town of Ilulissat on the west coast. But the attention of the scientists attracted to other events - the annual melting of glaciers in Greenland, where the volume of ice is equivalent to the 7-meter rise in ocean.

Journalist Getty Images Joe Raedle went north and spent two weeks documenting recent changes in Greenland, taking the scenic landscapes and daily life of the inhabitants of the island.

The position of the Intergovernmental Panel on UN Climate Change is that the average temperature on Earth has risen at 0, 7 ° C since the beginning of the industrial revolution (the second half of the XVIII century), and that "a large proportion of the warming observed in the past 50 years is attributable to human activities ", first emission of gases that cause the greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).

Greenland, July 11, 2013.

But there is another version. The famous American physicist Freeman Dyson argues that the measures proposed to combat global warming, have long ceased to belong to the sphere of science, and are politicking and speculative business

The founder of the television weather Weather Channel, journalist John Coleman believes "the so-called global warming is the greatest scam in history." According to him, "some vile and cowardly scientists to protect the environment and the different policy objectives brazenly manipulated long-term observation of the weather, to give people the illusion of global warming." The basic idea of the second version - no rapid climate change and there is no impact of humanity on the Earth's climate is negligible, do not flatter yourself. Just warming and cooling the planet - it's the usual batch processes. Our planet is not in danger. In one or two decades, the failure of the theory of global warming, it may be obvious to all. As the famous theory about the "ozone hole".

By the way, the ice cap covers about 80 percent of Greenland, July 17, 2013.

The Greenland home to 30 species of mammals, including polar bears (depicted on the coat of arms), musk ox, arctic fox, polar wolf, and in coastal waters - the bowhead whale, harp seals, walrus. And of course, reindeer.

Major peoples in Greenland - Greenland Eskimos it is (in the local language - Inuit), constituting about 90% of the total population.

Boat and icebergs from the glacier. Jakobshavn - the world's largest fast-moving glacier in West Greenland. Forms icebergs in the fjord Jakobshavn. Noting the high speed movement of ice: at the front width of 7 km speed is 7 km / year, and the ice flow of 45 cubic meters. km / year.

Scientists. Collect geological samples, 24 July 2013.

The retreat of glaciers since 1850 - reducing the area of glaciers worldwide. Collection of geological samples is needed to determine the age of the retreat. Greenland, July 24, 2013.

The vegetation in Greenland dated to places ice-free. On the north coast is dominated by sparse vegetation of the arctic desert.

Fledgling peregrine falcons, Greenland, July 10, 2013. It is the fastest bird, and all living being in the world. According to experts, in the rapid dive flight it can reach speeds of over 322 km / h, or 90 meters per second!

The Full Moon and the iceberg from the largest glacier Jakobshavn, July 23, 2013.

Melting glaciers. The photograph shows the melt water flowing right through the huge thawed patch, July 17, 2013.

And here meltwater has created a canyon. Greenland, July 16, 2013.

Tent of research scientists of the ice sheet, Greenland, July 15, 2013.

Water and ice. The average thickness of ice is 2300 m, the highest - 3400 m Displacement ice -. 2.6 million cubic meters. km. It's pretty hard to imagine.

of ice crystals on the surface of the ice sheet, July 17, 2013.

The vast canyons formed by streams of meltwater, July 16, 2013.

The incredible landscapes of Greenland, July 17, 2013.

The lake of meltwater, July 16, 2013.

Inspiring views from the windows of an apartment house on the icebergs. Greenland, July 20, 2013.

The vast majority of the population lives in the south-west coast, where concentrated the largest city of Greenland. Employment of the population - mostly hunting and fishing. The remaining 10% in addition to the Eskimos - mainly Danes and other Europeans.

Let's see how the wedding on the island of Greenland. This newly wed July 20, 2013.

The grandfather of the bride at the parade, July 20, 2013.

Wedding fun. It should be noted that the tables are not crammed with dishes and bottles, as is customary in Russia. There is a DJ and singer.

The tradition of throwing a bridal bouquet is prevalent in many civilized countries, and is often shown in the movies with footage of the wedding ceremony. This beautiful custom has its roots in antiquity.

For medieval Europe it was common to tear off after the wedding, from the wedding dress flap. It was believed that with him good luck the bride goes to the unmarried girl and help her to quickly get married. After the wedding dresses have become quite valuable object and began to be inherited their place was taken by a special garter on her leg is gradually transformed into a more secure bouquet. In Russia, by the way, not throwing the bouquet and gave blindly. friends of the bride drove a circle around a lucky blindfolded, and at one point she gave her bouquet at random.

Dancing in Greenland, July 20, 2013.

Here is the "banquet hall" where the festivities took place on the outside. Launching fireworks

But back to the glaciers. This glacier near Kangerlussuaq - settlement in western Greenland, 13 July 2013 Kangerlussuaq Greenland comes from the words "Big Fjord".

Glacier near Kangerlussuaq, July 10, 2013. In the summer the temperature in Greenland is just above 21 degrees, but sometimes even in high summer temperatures are around zero.