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3d ago

New Research Confirms Glacier and Ice Sheet Loss May Be Irreversible for Centuries

Studies reveal that even a return to 1.5°C warming after a 3°C overshoot would fail to halt centuries of ice loss, accelerating sea-level rise and long-term global impacts.

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The Greenland ice sheet holds enough frozen water to lift global oceans by five metres.
Self-reinforcing feedback mechanisms can increase the rate at which ice sheets melt or break up

Overview

  • Global mountain glaciers will not recover for centuries, even if temperatures are brought back to 1.5°C after exceeding 3°C, according to new simulations.
  • A 3°C overshoot could lock in up to 16% additional glacier mass loss by 2200 compared to staying below the 1.5°C threshold.
  • Evidence now suggests that tipping points for Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets lie near 1.5°C, significantly lower than previously thought.
  • Polar ice sheet loss and glacier meltwater are projected to contribute to sea-level rise accelerating to approximately 1 cm per year by 2100, even under the Paris Agreement target.
  • Researchers emphasize that achieving safer temperature limits closer to 1°C is essential to mitigate irreversible cryosphere changes and their cascading global effects.