Antarctic ice nears tipping point

A large part of the ice covering West Antarctica could be lost if greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase only slightly from today’s levels and ocean temperatures continue to rise.

Another related study said if the West Antarctic ice sheet collapsed and the East Antarctic ice sheet continued to melt at its marine margins, global sea level would rise seven metres from today’s level.


Antarctica stores about 90 percent of the world’s freshwater.

Both studies, published in the journal Nature, are a result of extensive drilling into the seafloor under the Ross Ice Shelf by a team of New Zealand, Italian, American and Germany scientists.

The floating ice shelf won’t elevate sea levels if melts because it is already displacing water. The real threat comes when the ice sheet behind, which is below sea level, is exposed to the ocean.

Reuters