A groundbreaking study warns that Earth’s ice sheets may already be on an irreversible path to rapid melting and devastating sea level rise — even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C.
Published in Communications Earth and Environment, the study finds that today’s warming of 1.2°C could still trigger catastrophic ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica, resulting in many feet of sea level rise over the coming centuries.
Scientists examined satellite data, climate models, and geological records, including ice cores and deep-sea sediments. They concluded that ice sheet tipping points may be far lower than previously believed. The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets contain enough water to raise sea levels by about 213 feet.
The annual ice loss rate has quadrupled since the 1990s, now reaching 370 billion tons, accelerating sea level rise, which has doubled over the last 30 years. At projected rates, sea levels could surge by 0.4 inches annually by century’s end.
This trend would displace hundreds of millions and reshape coastlines, as nearly 230 million people currently live within 3.2 feet of sea level. Scientists say the true “safe limit” for preserving ice sheets may be closer to 1°C of warming — a goal made more elusive by continued fossil fuel use.
Researchers emphasize that even limiting warming to 1.5°C, though a major accomplishment, will not halt ice sheet melt. Every fraction of a degree matters.
Source: Swifteradio.com
