Study: Greenland and Antarctica lost 11.3 trillion tons of ice
Technology
A new study reveals that Greenland and Antarctica have lost a massive 11.3 trillion tons of ice since the 1970s, enough to raise sea levels by about an inch worldwide.
Most of this loss comes from glacier discharge, where chunks of ice slide into the ocean.
Glacier discharge drives 84% loss
Glacier discharge is behind 84% of the total ice loss, while surface melting plays a much smaller part.
Greenland saw its biggest drops in the 2010s during intense summer melts, but glacier movement is still the main culprit there too.
In Antarctica, it's all about ocean-driven melting at glacier edges, showing just how much glacier speed matters for future sea level rise and climate change.