CNN —Rapid melting of West Antarctica’s ice shelves may now be unavoidable as human-caused global warming accelerates, with potentially devastating implications for sea level rise around the world, new research has found.
Even if the world meets ambitious targets to limit global heating, West Antarctica will experience substantial ocean warming and ice shelf melting, according to the new study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
They act like buttresses, helping hold ice back on the land, slowing its flow into the sea and providing an important defense against sea level rise.
While there has been growing evidence ice loss in West Antarctica may be irreversible, there has been uncertainty about how much can be prevented through climate policies.
“The thing that’s depressing is the committed nature of sea level rise, particularly for the next century,” Scambos told CNN.
Persons:
”, Kaitlin Naughten, Naughten, ” Naughten, Ted Scambos, ” Scambos, Scambos, Tiago Segabinazzi Dotto, I’ve
Organizations:
CNN, British Antarctic Survey, University of Colorado Boulder, “, National Oceanography, Science Media Center
Locations:
West Antarctica, Antarctica