Satellites show Earth lost more than 12 trillion tons of ice from Greenland, Antarctica in 47 years
About 12.5 trillion tons (11.3 trillion metric tons) of ice from glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica have melted since 1979, which is enough frozen water to stack ice 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep across the continental United States, according to a major scientific report.
A recent scientific study reveals that Earth has lost more than 12.5 trillion tons of ice from Greenland and Antarctica since the 1970s, potentially causing sea levels to rise by nearly an inch. This alarming trend, caused by warmer waters eroding ice from both sides and below, is accelerating, particularly in the 2010s. Although a three-year pause in 2020-2023 appears to be a temporary fluctuation, the overall trend shows an increasing risk to coastal regions worldwide.
The study, a collaboration between polar scientists from the European Space Agency, NASA, and numerous international institutions, used 45 independent surveys and 27 different satellites to confirm the trend. Experts warn that the melting is largely due to dynamic processes, which could trigger catastrophic "tipping points" and further sea level rise in the future.
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