A recent study published on May 20 reveals that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are at greater risk of melting due to global warming than previously understood, posing potential “catastrophic consequences for humanity.” As global temperatures rise, these ice sheets—covering vast land areas and containing over 99% of the Earth’s land ice—are losing mass more rapidly, with current losses estimated at 370 billion metric tons per year, quadrupling since the 1990s. This accelerated melting is significantly contributing to global sea-level rise, which could become much more severe than the currently anticipated centimeters or inches, potentially leading to rises of dozens of feet.
Jonathan Bamber, a co-author of the study, called the recent satellite observations of ice mass loss a “wake-up call” for the scientific and policy communities. The study emphasizes the implications this ice loss has for sea levels worldwide; if greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current pace, ice sheets may undergo even more rapid melting.
Recovery from this ice loss could take hundreds to thousands of years, even if temperatures were to revert to preindustrial levels. This highlights the critical need to limit global warming to no more than 1 degree Celsius to mitigate further loss and its impacts. The study illustrates that current climate targets, particularly the often-discussed 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold, may not adequately protect the ice sheets, posing a troubling outlook for future sea levels and global coastlines. Researchers stress that immediate and robust action is essential to address this escalating climate crisis.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
