In 10 Seconds? 20% more of Greenland’s ice sheet has melted in the last 10 years than in previous decades, while the yearly variability has increased by 60%, according to research. This underscores the need to better support coastal communities in the face of sea-level rise.
How does Greenland’s melting ice affect the world? It contributes to rising sea levels— if the thaw continues unabated for the next several millennia sea levels can be seven meters higher than today. Currently, the Arctic including Greenland provides about 1 millimeter per year to sea level while other glaciers including Antarctica give just under half that amount. Another 1.7 millimeters each year comes from the oceans expanding as they heat. Knowing the melt rate and the variability helps to determine how fast coastlines will have to adjust, especially since Greenland has two main contributions to sea-level rise: Glaciers flowing into the sea and ice sheet melt.
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