Recently, a new study published in the British journal Nature showed that between 2000 and 2023, the global glacier melting rate reached an astonishing level, equivalent to about three Olympic swimming pools melting ice every second. This phenomenon has had a profound impact on the global ecological environment and human society.
An international team found through a comprehensive investigation of global glacier data that over the past 23 years, the global glacier mass has decreased by approximately 6.542 trillion tons, directly leading to a global sea level rise of about 18 millimeters. The melting of glaciers, Greenland ice sheet, and Antarctic ice sheet has become an important driving factor for current and future sea level rise.
Data shows that from 2000 to 2011, the average annual reduction in global glacier mass was about 231 billion tons; Between 2012 and 2023, this number climbed to an average annual reduction of about 314 billion tons. In 2023 alone, the global glacier reduction reached 548 billion tons, and the rate of glacier melting significantly accelerated.
The study also pointed out that between 2000 and 2023, the overall glacier mass worldwide decreased by about 5%, but regional differences were significant. Among them, the proportion of glacier melting in central Europe is as high as 39%, in New Zealand it is 29%, in western North America it is 23%, while glacier melting in the Antarctic region accounts for only 2%.
Researchers say that glacier melting not only increases local geological disasters such as glacial lake outburst floods and landslides, but also has serious impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, regional freshwater resources, and global water and energy cycles. About 2 billion people worldwide rely on glacier meltwater, and the accelerated melting of glaciers will threaten the freshwater supply in these regions. In addition, the rise in sea level will significantly increase the frequency of floods in coastal areas. It is estimated that for every 1 centimeter of sea level rise, about 2 million new people worldwide will face the threat of floods every year.
This study is a collection and organization of a large amount of research data. By systematically combining field measurements, analyzing different types of satellite data, and other methods to estimate glacier changes, scientists are able to more accurately grasp the true situation of glaciers worldwide. This research result helps people better understand the changes in glaciers, which also intuitively reflect the impact of human activities on the Earth's climate.
Faced with the increasingly severe problem of glacier melting, the international community urgently needs to take effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and jointly address the challenges brought by climate change.
(Editer：admin)
