While the devastating effects of climate change are already being felt, hundreds of scientists recently gathered in Australia for an emergency summit to address the threatened future of Antarctica. They’re warning that the rapid ice loss in the region highlights the urgent need to act now to prevent devastating sea level rises globally.
The 2024 Australian Antarctic Research Conference, organized by the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP), took place last week at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. It brought together nearly 500 polar experts and researchers from across the country who all agreed to release a warning statement.
“Nowhere on Earth is there a greater cause of uncertainty in sea-level rise projections than from East Antarctica, in Australia’s backyard,” the statement reads. “The East Antarctic Ice Sheet alone holds enough water to raise global sea levels by approximately 50 meters [164 feet] if completely melted. Implications for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense.”
Recent studies reveal alarming changes in the area, including record-low sea ice, heatwaves soaring more than 40°C (72°F) above average, and rising instability around crucial ice shelves. The shifting ecosystems on land and at sea really highlight just how quickly this vulnerable region is dramatically changing.
Due to climate change, the global sea level has risen by up to 10.5 centimeters (over 4 inches) in the past 30 years. Antarctica holds the Earth’s largest body of ice, which is the equivalent of 58 meters (about 190 feet) of water if completely melted. The region currently loses around 17 million tonnes (more than 18 million tons) of ice every hour, and scientists claim that this rate is only accelerating.
“Runaway ice loss causing rapid and catastrophic sea-level rise is possible within our lifetimes,” the statement continues. “Whether such irreversible tipping points have already passed is unknown.”
AAPP warns that if global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, coastal cities in Australia could face a devastating 80 centimeters (31 inches) of sea level rise by 2100. Scientists who took part in the emergency summit agreed that urgent action is needed to prevent this.
Although the news seems pretty bleak, there’s still time to take action. “Our societies must set and meet targets to ‘bend the carbon curve’ as quickly as possible,” the researchers say in the statement. “Failure to rapidly reduce emissions—every year and every tonne—commits actual and future generations to greater sea-level rise.” They add, “Every fraction of a degree matters.”
Nearly 500 polar scientists gathered at an emergency summit to call for immediate action to protect Antarctica’s future.
They warn that the rapid ice loss in the region highlights the urgent need to act now to prevent devastating sea level rises globally.
Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP): Website | YouTube
Source: Our Science, Your Future: Next Generation of Antarctic Scientists Call for Collaborative Action
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