Since 1979 the US has been measuring the polar ice caps and has witnessed up to a 30% increase in summer melts on major ice sheets, such as Greenland. As well, due to the increased sea temperatures of almost 2.5 degrees Celsius, the western half of the Antarctic ice sheet is melting away. These ice sheets are currently melting at a rate of thousands of kilometers per year. Research indicates that only 2% of the sun’s rays need to be diverted in order to restore the planets’ temperature to pre-industrial levels.