Greenland’s ice sheet melting much faster than thought
Development threatens hundreds of millions of people with inundation
Greenland’s ice sheet is melting much faster than previously thought, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
New data suggests that ice is being lost from Greenland seven times faster than it was in the 1990s, and the scale and speed of ice loss is much higher than previously predicted.
The Guardian says the development threatens hundreds of millions of people with inundation and “brings some of the irreversible impacts of the climate emergency much closer”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sea level rises are likely to reach 67cm by 2100, about 7cm more than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has previously thought.
Some 400 million people will be put at risk of flooding every year, instead of the 360 million previously predicted, says the report.
The authors of the study have expressed alarm at the findings. Andrew Shepherd, professor of Earth observation at the University of Leeds, said these “are not unlikely events” and “will be devastating for coastal communities”.
The BBC explains that in an average year now, Greenland sheds about 250 billion tonnes of ice. However, this year was significantly warmer, so “the ice loss this year was more like 370 billion tonnes," said Dr Ruth Mottram, who is affiliated to the Danish Meteorological Institute.
Louise Sime, a climate scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, said: “This finding should be of huge concern for all those who will be affected by sea level rise.”
The Daily Mail says that sea level rise threatens cities “from Shanghai to London, to low-lying swathes of Florida or Bangladesh, and to entire nations such as the Maldives”.
Rachel Kennerley, of Friends of the Earth, said: “This latest research is yet more in an ever-growing pile of evidence which shows we need real action, not warm words.”
The latest data, collated by a group of 96 polar scientists from around the world, was published in Nature magazine.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Antony Gormley's Time Horizon – a 'judgmental army' of 100 cast-iron men
The Week Recommends Sculptures are 'everymen questioning the privilege of their surroundings' at the Norfolk stately home
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Ottawa climate talks: can global plastic problem be solved?
In the spotlight Nations aim to draft world's first treaty on plastic pollution, but resistance from oil- and gas-producing countries could limit scope
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why curbing methane emissions is tricky in fight against climate change
The Explainer Tackling the second most significant contributor to global warming could have an immediate impact
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
How the EU undermines its climate goals with animal farming subsidies
Under the radar Bloc's agricultural policy incentivises carbon-intensive animal farming over growing crops, despite aims to be carbon-neutral
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why are people and elephants fighting in Sri Lanka?
Under The Radar Farmers encroaching into elephant habitats has led to deaths on both sides
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published