Greenland and Antarctica lost a combined 11.3 trillion tonnes of ice between 1979 and 2023, contributing about 31.4 millimeters to global sea-level rise, according to a major scientific assessment. The study, published in the journal Scientific Data, combines 42 independent assessments of ice-sheet mass balance based on data from 27 satellite missions. Researchers analyzed changes in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets over several decades to produce a long-term record of ice loss.
The assessment found that the two ice sheets lost an estimated 11,309 billion tonnes of ice during the period. Antarctica accounted for 4,780 billion tonnes of the loss, while Greenland lost 6,215 billion tonnes. Together, the losses contributed 31.4 millimeters to global mean sea-level rise.
Researchers found that about 84 percent of the ice loss was driven by glaciers flowing into the ocean faster, while the remaining 16 percent was linked to changes in surface mass balance, including surface melting. The study also shows that ice loss has accelerated since the 1990s. Greenland's rate of mass loss increased substantially in the 2000s and 2010s, while changes in Antarctica have also contributed to the long-term rise in global sea levels.
The researchers used satellite observations covering different aspects of ice-sheet change, including variations in ice flow, elevation and gravitational attraction. The record extends back to 1972 for Greenland and 1979 for Antarctica. Here we are to serve you with news right now.
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