Quantifying the pace of glacial melting
April 2019: A comprehensive overview shows that glaciers are melting and are causing sea levels to rise 3mm per year. Rising sea levels are causing coastal inundation and increase the risk of water shortage or flooding in inland communities.
Information
New research promoted by WWF identifies a robust linear relationship between melting Arctic sea ice, glacial melting, rising sea levels and anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Previous studies relied on estimates to predict glacial melting but combined methodological approaches allowed for the first comprehensive overview and suggest that melting glaciers cause the sea to rise by 3mm each year and highlights that many glaciers will disappear over the next century.
Implications and opportunities
Glacial melting and rising sea levels cause the inundation of coast lines and heighten risks of structural damage for coastal towns. Further, inland communities that rely on glaciers as fresh water reservoirs for agriculture as well as for industrial and human consumption experience increased risks of water shortages or flooding. This will also impact energy generation from hydroelectricity during droughts, natural habitats, and tourism. Melting glaciers are also exposing unknown radiocarbon material that could pose a risk for global public health and health security. The research suggests that the pace and intensity of glacial melting could be reduced by cutting CO2 emissions, preventing deforestation and combatting other polluting activities.
Limitations
The study is the first comprehensive overview and presents results at a macro-level that do not reflect regional differences. The study requires further location specific modelling to improve regional accuracy of ice loss forecasts and adjust policy measures.
Sources
Stroeve, J. C., & Notz, D. (2018). Changing state of Arctic sea ice across all seasons. Environmental Research Letters. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aade56
Zemp, M., Huss, M., Thibert, E., Eckert, et.al. 2019. Global glacier mass changes and their contributions to sea-level rise from 1961 to 2016. Nature, p.1.
National Geographic. (2019). Melting glaciers contribute a third of sea-level rise. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/04/world-mountain-glaciers-melting-sea-level-rise/