The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are now losing ice at an alarming rate – over three times as much each year compared to 30 years ago. This shocking revelation comes from a comprehensive international study that analyzed 50 different satellite estimates.
Researchers discovered that Greenland’s ice melt has escalated dramatically in recent years. From 2017 to 2020, the average annual melt was 20% more per year than at the beginning of the decade and over seven times higher than its annual shrinkage in the early 1990s.
Ruth Mottram, a climate scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute and study co-author, described the new figures as “pretty disastrous really.” She added, “We’re losing more and more ice from Greenland.”
Ines Otosaka, a glaciologist at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and the study’s lead author, attributed the accelerated ice sheet loss to human-induced climate change.
One can’t help but wonder if those Shell Oil commercials touting their commitment to conservation were less than genuine. The catastrophic reality of ice loss in Greenland and Antarctica serves as a stark reminder that we need to hold corporations accountable and take immediate action to combat climate change.