Melting Greenland ice sheet could soon reach point of no return: scientists

03 April 2023, 14:57 | Technologies 
фото с Зеркало недели

Scientists increasingly concerned about tipping points in climate change. In a new study, they identified two such tipping points for the melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which covers 1.7 million square kilometers and is the second largest storage of ice after Antarctica, according to Science Alert..

The release of 1000 gigatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere will lead to the complete melting of the southern part of the ice sheet, according to scientists' simulations.. With emissions of 2500 gigatons, the entire ice sheet will irrevocably melt.

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Since human activity began to have a noticeable impact on the climate, 500 gigatonnes of carbon have been emitted into the atmosphere.. This means that we are already halfway to losing a significant part of the Greenland ice sheet..

“The first point of no return is not far from today's climate conditions, so we risk crossing it. As soon as we start to slide, we will fall off this cliff and will not be able to get back up,” says climate scientist Dennis Hening from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany..

Scientists conducted complex modeling that took into account all key climatic processes and factors that affect ice melt, including air and water temperature, ocean current activity and precipitation levels..

Even keeping the 1.5-degree Celsius rise in temperature under the Paris Climate Agreement won't be enough to prevent the Greenland ice sheet from melting, researchers say..

Scientists also add that at the level of carbon emissions within 1000 gigatons, the sea level will rise by 1.8 meters, if they reach 2500 gigatons - by 6.9 meters..

Unfortunately, there are no signs of a decrease in the number of emissions yet.. Between 2003 and 2016, the Greenland ice sheets lost 255 gigatonnes of ice every year.. A recent study found that the island is losing ice much faster than previously thought.. And this leads to sea level rise and other problems..

Scientists have previously said that the rapid melting of Antarctic glaciers could drastically slow down the flow of water in the world's oceans, with catastrophic consequences for the global climate, the marine food chain and even the stability of ice shelves..

Источник: Зеркало недели