New analysis of satellite observations indicates that the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica have shed roughly 12.5 trillion tons of ice since 1979. The melt translates to about three quadrillion gallons of water, which has lifted global sea levels by approximately one inch over the same period.
How the loss was measured
The international team, coordinated by the European Space Agency, combined data from NASA satellites with earlier European missions to reconstruct ice volume changes back to 1979 for Antarctica and to 1972 for Greenland. The effort relied on 45 independent surveys and 27 distinct satellites, providing multiple lines of evidence that bolster confidence in the findings.
Lead author Ines Otosaka, an ice scientist at Northumbria University, noted that the record shows a clear, accelerating trend of mass loss, especially as more ice is discharged into the ocean. The study, published in the journal Scientific Data, emphasizes that five‑sixths of the observed melt is driven by warmer ocean waters eroding the ice sheets from below and from their margins, rather than by direct atmospheric warming.
Accelerating melt and its implications
According to the researchers, ice loss was relatively stable through the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, but began to increase markedly in the 2000s and surged during the 2010s. A brief slowdown between 2020 and 2023 was attributed to short‑term weather variability rather than a reversal of the long‑term trend, and recent data suggest the upward trajectory has resumed.
Dynamic processes—rapid, abrupt changes such as glacier calving and ice‑sheet flow—account for a large share of the recent loss. “Most of the ice loss is dynamical,” said New York University ice scientist David Holland, highlighting the potential for runaway tipping points if such processes intensify.
One of the fastest‑moving glaciers, Jakobshavn in Greenland, is now retreating at rates up to 164 feet per day, according to Otosaka. The study also points out that while East Antarctica has experienced record snowfall that partially offsets West Antarctic melt, the overall balance remains negative.
Sea‑level rise of a third of an inch—or roughly one centimeter—exposes an additional 2 to 3 million people each year to flooding, the authors warned. “The ice sheets are melting away fast,” said co‑author Eric Rignot of the University of California, Irvine, adding that rising seas will heighten vulnerability for coastal communities worldwide.
Andrew Shepherd, also of Northumbria, cautioned that the observed lag between global warming and ice‑sheet response means the melt could continue for decades even if greenhouse‑gas emissions were halted today. Ted Scambos of the University of Colorado, who was not involved in the study, described the ongoing mass loss as a “clear and present danger” that challenges humanity’s ability to manage future climate impacts.
Norman Pearlstine is the Executive Editor and Co-Founder at News Raise. With over two decades of experience across financial journalism, corporate governance, and market analysis, Norman leads the editorial direction and ensures strict adherence to journalistic accuracy and ethics.
