The study shows that the ice shelves in West Antarctica will melt shortly, leading to rising sea levels and potentially devastating impacts on coastal areas. Despite this alarming prediction, the authors emphasize the importance of courage in facing the challenges posed by the warming seas.
“It’s not great news,” said Kaitlin Naughten, of the British Antarctic Survey, during a press call last week.
“Our simulations suggest that we are now committed to a rapid increase in the rate of ocean warming and ice shelf melting for the rest of the century.”
But, Naughten added, giving up as a result of the findings should not be an option.
“Courage is the resolve to do well, without the assurance of a happy ending,” Naughten said.
Ice shelves are the parts of the Antarctic ice sheets that extend over the ocean. If these shelves melt, it could lead to the melting of the ice sheets as well. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is already the largest contributor to rising sea levels, with the potential to raise global sea levels by over 17 feet.
Unfortunately, the new study suggests that there is little we can do to prevent the melting of these ice shelves, as they will warm at a rate three times faster than historical levels due to ongoing climate change. That result holds if the world manages to meet the 2.0-degree Celsius or even 1.5-degree Celsius targets laid out in the Paris Agreement.
“Over the next couple of decades, our actions won’t make any difference,” Naughten said. “And those could be a crucial couple of decades for the glaciers involved.”
According to a commentary in Nature Climate Change from Taimoor Sohail, of the University of New South Wales, the study is considered the most comprehensive projection on the region so far.
However, more validation using other models is needed. Recent findings have shown the alarming loss of ice in both Antarctica and Greenland, contributing to rising sea levels. The melting Antarctic continent has already released over 7 trillion tons of water into the ocean, while Greenland’s ice sheet lost 196 billion tons in just the past year. Sea ice in the southern hemisphere is also experiencing record-low levels.
According to a recent study, if global warming reaches just 1.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the entire Greenland ice sheet could experience a sudden loss. It’s important to remember that sea level rise is a global issue, not limited to just West Antarctica. The study’s results don’t apply to the more stable East Antarctic ice sheet, which contains ten times more ice.
While the findings may seem unavoidable, it’s crucial to take action and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate other impacts of climate change. As climate scientist Kate Marvel says, courage is needed to address climate change rather than relying solely on hope. Planning and adapting to these changes can help reduce human suffering and save lives.
