The melting of polar ice is mainly due to

 

 Increase in the level of greenhouse gases has led to considerable heating of Earth leading to global warming. Scientists believe that this rise in temperature is leading to deleterious changes in the environment and resulting in odd climatic changes (e.g. El Nino effect) , thus leading to increased melting of polar ice caps as well as of other places like the Himalayan snow caps. Over many years, this will result in a rise in sea level that can submerge many coastal areas.