Current Models Underestimate Ice Loss from Largest Greenland Glaciers

Nature Communications, November 17
 

From 1880 to 2012, Greenland’s three largest outlet glaciers lost enough ice to increase global sea levels by around 8 mm. These three glaciers currently drain 12% of the ice sheet, and together contain enough ice to raise sea levels by another 1.3 meters. However, climate projections under high emissions scenarios suggest only the same scale of ice loss (9-15 mm sea-level rise) by 2100 despite far higher levels of projected warming.  This discrepancy suggests that models underestimate current and potential near-term sea-level rise from Greenland, and perhaps other outlet glaciers.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19580-5

Compiled by Amy Imdieke.