Causes and Latest Data
Modern climate studies confirm that the Northern Hemisphere is warming faster than the Southern Hemisphere – a trend that has been consistently recorded for decades.
Scientists say there are four main reasons for this:
Unbalanced land-ocean distribution
About 68% of the Earth's land area is in the Northern Hemisphere. Land absorbs and releases heat faster than the ocean, making this region more sensitive to climate change.
The Ice Effect
The Northern Hemisphere has huge ice fields such as the Arctic and Greenland. When ice melts, darker surfaces (land, sea) are exposed, absorbing more heat, creating a positive feedback loop that accelerates warming.
Climate Characteristics of the Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is 80% ocean, which helps absorb and disperse heat more slowly, thereby reducing the rate of surface temperature increase.
Major ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream transport huge amounts of heat northward. Combined with monsoon systems and atmospheric circulation, more heat is transported to the northern polar regions.
According to data from NASA GISS and NOAA, the average temperature of the Northern Hemisphere has increased by about 1.4–1.6°C since the late 19th century, while the Southern Hemisphere has only increased by about 0.8–1.0°C during the same period.
This phenomenon is raising concerns about the rate of ice melting in the Arctic, rising sea levels and extreme climate fluctuations that may occur in the near future.
