Researchers from the University of Copenhagen reported on Friday that global warming has accelerated the melting of Greenland glaciers by five times over the past 20 years. The monitoring of Greenland’s ice cover is crucial due to the significant water content in these ancient ice sheets, and a complete melt would result in a sea-level rise of at least 20 feet.
Anders Anker Bjork, an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, stated that the melting rate has entered a new phase in the last two decades. This conclusion was drawn from a study of a thousand glaciers in the region, showing a clear correlation between planetary temperatures and the glaciers’ accelerated melting.
The scientists utilized satellite imagery and 200,000 old photos to study glacier development over the past 130 years. The analysis revealed the impact of global warming, with average global temperatures already exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.2 degrees Celsius. Scientists from the European Union predicted earlier this month that 2023 is “virtually certain” to be the warmest in 125,000 years.
Jørgen Eivind Olesen, Director of the Climate Institute at Aarhus University, emphasized the need for a global effort to limit and minimize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere if the goal is to lower global temperatures. Olesen anticipates that glaciers will continue to melt at increasing speeds, necessitating preparation for the consequences of climate change.
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