The Decline of the Sixth Continent

The white snow and ice surface of the Antarctic ice cap has been protecting our planet for more than 30 million years. By reflecting most of the sun's energy back into space, it acts as a protective shield and contributes to cooling our planet.

For millennia, a fragile balance has been maintained; the sea ice growing and receding with the seasons. However, since 2016, the Antarctic sea ice is declining at a rate never observed previously. Last summer, the area covered by sea ice was 40% less extensive than in 1980. Antarctica is warming at a rate nearly three times faster than the global average: the vicious circle has begun. Inexorable global warming is likely to follow.

Spectacular glaciers risk disappearing forever. A wide variety of living creatures inhabit Antarctica. When their habitat crumbles, an entire ecosystem is threatened and our planet risks paying the price.

Although located on the other side of the world, our daily actions have already had an impact on the fate of Antarctica. The consequences of our daily choices will likely come back at us like a boomerang.

Michel Groleau

Starting his career as a journalist and then as a health professional, Michel Groleau eventually turned to photography, traveling the six continents to observe and immortalize the beauty and fragility of our planet. His photos have won multiple international awards and have been showcased at exhibitions in twelve different countries. They aim to touch people and push them to think about the evolution and challenges of society. Michel hopes showing the beauty of our planet may contribute to saving it.