by the European Space Agency
Highlights:
A new report from an international team of polar scientists concludes that ice losses from Antarctica and Greenland are rising faster than expected, leading the region to the IPCC’s worst-case climate warming scenario:
- Greenland and Antarctica lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice which has pushed global sea levels up by 17.8 millimetres over 25 years
- Of the total sea level rise coming from melting polar ice sheets, around 60% was due to Greenland ice losses and 40% was due to Antarctica
- Most of the ice lost in both countries has been triggered by oceans melting their outlet glaciers
- If the ice sheets from the two countries continue to melt at this rate they will cause an extra 17 centimetres of sea level rise by the end of the century, risking annual coastal flooding 400 million people
- Much of Greenland’s ice losses a result of rising air temperatures and the amount of melt is expected to rise
The Climate Center’s Rapid Decarbonization Campaign sets a goal that by 2025, California will have enacted the bold, accelerated policies required by science to double emissions reductions, accelerate drawdown, and secure resilient communities by 2030.
Nina Turner
Energy Programs and Communications CoordinatorJanina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University with experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism.
