Nature, 7 April 2025 Subglacial water may play a much larger role in Antarctic ice loss than previously thought, and this study suggests that current models may underestimate future sea-level rise by a factor of three. Vast networks of lakes and streams lie beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. This water can lubricate the ice, allowing […]

The Cryosphere, 1 April 2025 Near-complete glacier loss is expected in new projections of the Ötztal and Stubai mountain ranges of western Austria with global warming above 1.5°C. Between 2006 and 2017, roughly 20% of both glacier area and volume was lost across this region, with five glaciers disappearing entirely. Researchers consolidated decades of glacier […]

The Cryosphere, 24 March 2025 An international team of researchers analyzing glacier loss in the Italian Dolomites found that this region’s twelve remaining glaciers have together lost 30 meters of thickness over the past four decades. Alarmingly, one third of this loss has occurred since 2010. The iconic Marmolada glacier suffered the greatest loss, enduring […]

The UN International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation May 29-31, part of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 (IYGP), will strive to establish the critical role glaciers play for local and regional communities and ecosystems, as well as the urgency in slowing their retreat through sharp reductions in fossil fuel emissions. Briefer “lightning talks” will […]

Glaciers globally have been retreating and losing mass at an accelerated rate in recent decades, leading to significant impacts such as sea-level rise, freshwater availability, and increased glacial hazards. Even with emissions consistent with 1.5C, glaciers are expected to eventually lose about 40% of their mass due to their delayed response to the changing climate. […]

Nature Communications, 21 March 2025 New models refining infrastructure mapping in Alaska show that large economic losses are expected to emerge from permafrost thaw in coming decades. The improved analysis reveals that permafrost-related damage to Alaskan buildings and roads could cost $37 billion by mid-century under a medium emissions scenario (SSP2-4.5) and $51 billion under […]

Nature, 1 April 2025 Western U.S. mountain snowpack, crucial for supplying water to roughly 100 million people and accounting for 75% of total water supply over the region, faces significant declines due to climate change. A new study consolidates climate model simulations to produce regional estimates of snow loss under multiple emissions scenarios. Research indicates […]

Nature, 19 March 2025 Reconstructing wetlands from the last Ice Age has revealed periods of rapid sea-level rise equal to, and in some cases exceeding, future projections. By investigating sediment or “peat” from the North Sea, researchers filled gaps in the historical record and identified two periods of intense sea-level rise, peaking at nearly 9 […]

An international team of permafrost scientists outlined new research findings developed in the Regional Carbon Cycle and Processes (RECCAP2) project, aimed at strengthening the construction of comprehensive greenhouse gas budgets to account for all carbon sources and sinks. Latest research shows that the northern circumpolar permafrost region is already warming the global climate. While boreal […]

National Snow and Ice Data Center, 28 March 2025 NSIDC has announced that on March 22, Arctic sea ice reached its lowest-ever maximum extent (area) in the 47-year satellite record, at 4.33 million km2 (5.53 million square miles). The four previous lowest maximums have all occurred over the past decade. Sea ice extent has indeed […]

Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership, February 2025 A recent report on marine and coastal climate change highlights the increasing threat of ocean acidification in the Northwest European region, specifically focusing on the UK and Ireland. Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels increased 52% above pre-industrial levels in 2024, mainly resulting from fossil fuel combustion, cement production […]

Nature Communications, 11 March 2025 Information from multiple models strengthens the long-held understanding that Arctic sea ice loss impacts weather patterns in other parts of the world. As Arctic ice melts, it shifts air pressure, leading to drier winters in the southwestern United States and wetter winters in the Mediterranean. These changes happen relatively quickly, […]

Nature Communications, 2 December 2024 Research from the Norwegian Polar Institute studied ice loss from calving glaciers in the Arctic, focusing on the Austfonna ice cap in Svalbard. Researchers combined satellite data with ocean records and runoff models from 2018-2022. They found that melting and breaking happen mainly in autumn, even for fast-flowing glaciers. In […]

The Cryosphere, 14 March 2025 This study uses ice sheet model simulations to predict how the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet will contribute to global sea-level rise this century. The researchers calibrated the model to accurately reflect observed ice sheet geometry from various climate models in order to simulate future behavior. Predictions indicate a sea-level […]

Friday March 21st marked the first-ever World Day for Glaciers, bringing together global leaders, cryosphere scientists, and policymakers to address the urgent need for glacier preservation and water security in the face of climate change. This high-level event was held at UN Headquarters in New York alongside ongoing events and sessions in Paris. World Day […]