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3w ago

Ice Sheet Melt Accelerates, Driving Rapid Sea-Level Rise

A new study confirms Greenland and Antarctica's ice loss is now the primary contributor to global sea-level rise, with adaptation increasingly unfeasible and stricter climate targets urgently needed.

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The edge of the ice sheet is pictured south of Ilulissat, Greenland, September 17, 2021. A new study suggests that efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius may not go far enough to save the world’s ice sheets.
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Overview

  • Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet melting has quadrupled since the 1990s, now losing 370 billion metric tons annually.
  • Ice sheet melt has surpassed thermal expansion as the leading driver of global sea-level rise, projected to increase by 1 cm per year by 2100 under a 1.5°C warming scenario.
  • Researchers warn that adaptation to such rapid sea-level rise is becoming unrealistic, particularly for low-income coastal regions, risking widespread displacement and economic losses.
  • The study highlights that 230 million people live less than 1 meter above sea level, with 20 cm of rise by 2050 potentially causing over $1 trillion in annual flood damage in major cities.
  • Experts stress the need for limiting warming to 1°C, as the current 1.5°C threshold is already too high to prevent significant ice sheet losses and long-term coastal impacts.