News Briefing: NSIDC Greenland Ice Sheet Today, September 2022 An early September heat wave swept across Greenland during the first week of September, causing a melt event unprecedented in the satellite record, with more than one-third of the ice sheet (600,000 square kilometers) experiencing surface melting. Such spikes in surface melt are primarily seen in […]
Science, 29 September 2022 Rapid loss of Arctic sea ice over the past three decades has accelerated the rate of long-term acidification in the Arctic Ocean, at rates three to four times those occurring in lower latitude oceans. When sea ice melts, it creates a layer of freshwater along the surface of the ocean that […]
Nature Geoscience, 3 October 2022 While it was previously thought that ocean temperatures were the primary cause of melting along the ocean-based edges of the Greenland ice Sheet, new research suggests that atmospheric warming is equally important in this underwater melting, through the effects of meltwater running off the surface. Rising air temperatures increase melting […]
Released as an online-only event from the Geneva Hub, this session discussed the potential barriers to uptake as well as the possible enablers to applying solutions to adapt to climate change in mountain regions. Speakers emphasized social vulnerability and the facilitating role of international organizations to tackle cryosphere-related disasters. They also introduced the teaser trailer […]
30 September 2022 Dear Cryosphere Capsule readers: We are happy to share the Focus Days schedule for the COP27 Cryosphere Pavilion! Each day will include up to seven side events, focused on the latest cryosphere science; the implications of these findings for climate urgency and ambition; and looking also at model low emissions pathways and […]
Nature, 14 September 2022 For the first time, researchers can precisely monitor the thickness of sea ice during every month of the year – even in the summer melt period, which will improve navigation and safety across the Arctic. Previous measurements of sea ice thickness were unavailable during summer as satellite struggled to differentiate between […]
Scientific Reports, 19 September 2022 Rising global temperatures have accelerated the retreat of the Hoksar Glacier over recent decades, reflecting a larger trend for glaciers in the Upper Indus Basin. Burning nearby of coal, wood, and agricultural crops releases black carbon; these “soot” particles darken the surface of glaciers and snow, intensifying melt. The Hoksar […]
Streamed as a webinar from the Geneva Hub, this session offers first-hand insights into the perspectives of Indigenous communities affected by climate change. Speakers discussed the need for emissions reductions, mitigation measures and adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable populations in the Arctic, and they highlighted how Indigenous peoples’ rights can be safeguarded in these projects. […]
Nature Communications, 14 September 2022 Scientists have identified a significant new trigger for faster Antarctic ice sheet loss, which could have a major impact on the East Antarctic ice sheet and contribute to greater sea level rise than previously predicted. When a miles-thick ice sheet slides across the rocky ground below it, the friction generated […]
Nature Geosciences, 5 September 2022 New mapping of the seabed in front of the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has revealed that the glacier is capable of retreating far more rapidly than previously thought. The floating region of a glacier lifts and settles with the tide, creating a pattern of ridges along the sea floor […]
American Meteorological Society The 2021 State of the Climate report, led by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), was released in August – combining efforts from more than 530 scientists from 67 countries. The report is an annual summary of patterns and changes in the global climate […]
Glaciers, snow cover and permafrost are disappearing all over the world as a result of global warming. Faced with this emergency, scientists are working to improve the physical science underpinning past, present and future climate change; and thus strengthen our understanding of how the climate system is changing in response to human activity. Hosted largely […]
Nature Climate Change, 29 August 2022 New research suggests that the Greenland Ice Sheet is already committed to lose 3.3% of its ice, even if the world stopped emitting greenhouse gasses today; this ice loss will trigger nearly one foot (27 cm) of global sea-level rise. While the study does not specify a time frame […]
Climate change threatens the vast high latitude and high altitude cold regions of the world. This session explores the impacts of climate change on the cryosphere in Latin America, Central Asia and the Andes; and anticipates the future dangers these regions will face. Hosted largely by the COP26 Cryosphere Pavilion Hub in Geneva, panelists discussed […]
Frontiers in Environmental Science, 29 June 2022 In this week’s Capsules, we wanted to highlight an important “consensus paper” from earlier this summer on permafrost; the local and global impacts of permafrost thaw; and the need to reduce fossil fuel emissions for its preservation. The “permafrost domain” is home to tens of millions of people, […]