Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8 August 2023 Extreme events in Antarctica will become more frequent and pronounced unless drastic action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. This study documents the alarming increase in extreme heatwaves, all-time low sea ice conditions, ice shelf collapse and species population crashes that are […]
The Cryosphere, 27 July 2023 A new process currently missing from climate models could increase sea level contributions from the Greenland Ice Sheet by up to 14% under our current high emissions pathway. Climate change increases the frequency of “anticyclones” (high-pressure systems) getting stuck over the Greenland Ice Sheet — leading to extreme melt events […]
The Arctic experiences warming up to four times faster than the global average; and the loss of sea ice is linked by some researchers to warming in Europe, making communities ever more vulnerable to dangerous heat waves and severe storms. This COP27 session discussed the science behind this possible connection; wider environmental and societal impacts; […]
Science, 20 July 2023 Ancient sediments trapped beneath the northwestern portion of Greenland’s ice sheet confirm ice-free conditions existed for around 16,000 years there, during a period of only 1°C-2°C of warming. That sustained warmer period occurred 400,000 years ago, for about 30,000 years total, when sea levels were 6-13 meters higher than today. Modeling […]
Nature Communications, 25 July 2023 New findings reveal that if global fossil emissions are not reduced, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse as soon as 2025 — in two years — with a range up to 2095, and central estimate of 2050. The AMOC is a large system of Atlantic ocean currents that […]
Dr. Benjamin Keisling co-authored the above Greenland paper and volunteered as an Early Career Scientist (ECS) at the 2019 COP25 Cryosphere Pavilion, where he helped share the latest cryosphere science with policy makers. This side event includes Dr. Keisling, now at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics; and fellow COP25 ECS volunteers Cecilia Morales […]
Nature Geoscience, 19 June 2023 Meltwater flows into millions of hairline cracks across the surface of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, transferring heat deep into the ice and rendering them more vulnerable to climate warming than previously estimated. These centimeter-wide fractures are too small to be detected by satellites, but they allow streams of […]
Svalbard is one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth, and these high temperatures have driven unprecedented rates of glacier ice loss as well as “surges” – glaciers that suddenly speed up, moving up to tens of meters/day for short periods. This session from COP27 explains the consequences of Arctic amplification on snow and ice loss, […]
Scientific Reports, 6 June 2023 Diminishing stocks of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean have decreased the average weight of southern right whales by 23% in the past three decades, reducing their ability to produce healthy offspring. This is the first study to measure the long-term bodily harm of decreasing Southern Ocean productivity on capital […]
Nature Climate Change, 25 May 2023 In a major basin south of Australia, increased meltwater runoff from Antarctica has decreased deep ocean oxygen levels and slowed overturning circulation by one-third over the past three decades. This region serves as an early-warning signal for global deep ocean changes due to its downstream position from the Antarctic […]
Southern Ocean ecosystems are critically important to regional biodiversity, global food security and ocean health. These ecosystems are under severe threat from climate change and other direct human impacts. This side event at COP27 brought together key scientific and policy organizations working in the Southern Ocean to discuss the major priorities for understanding and protecting […]
Nature, 28 June 2023 Rising temperatures turn snowfall into rainfall, increasing the susceptibility of mountain regions to extreme rain and hazards such as floods, landslides, and soil erosion. This study provides the first assessment of high-altitude “hotspots” across the Northern Hemisphere, which face compounding hazards as atmospheric warming increases the fraction of water that precipitates […]
This session from COP27 brought together a wide range of speakers to share insights on the importance of urgent policy action to reduce global emissions and help mountain communities adapt to the rapid and devastating consequences of glacier and snow loss in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. This side event was organized by the International Centre […]
20 June 2023 Building on the 2019 Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) assessment report, a major study from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) provides the most complete assessment of snow, ice, and permafrost in the Himalayas to date. The report draws on recent scientific advances to map the extensive links between cryosphere, water, […]
Copernicus Climate Change Service, 20 June 2023 The sixth annual European State of the Climate (ESOTC) Report for 2022 was released June 20 by the European Commission, providing a detailed analysis of the climate this past year and the latest observations on major cryosphere dynamics, with a special focus on the Arctic. The first section […]