Greenland's melting ice sheet: A loss equivalent to Trinidad and Tobago's size disrupts ocean circulation

A study published in the scientific journal "Nature" on Wednesday reports that from 1985 to 2022, the Greenland ice sheet suffered a loss of 1,963 square miles. According to the Reuters agency, this significant shrinkage equates to the sheet losing 1,034 gigatons of ice.

This loss of surface area is attributed to glacier retreat, marking the first comprehensive assessment of its kind. According to scientists involved in the research, previous estimates weren't as precise and didn't account for all variables. "In Greenland, we have these areas around the edges where everything is retreating and breaking up," - said study co-author and earth scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Alex Gardner. "Previous methods weren't very good at measuring the changes in the ice sheet. But the change is enormous," he added.

To give some context to these figures, the loss of over 1,930 square miles is approximately equivalent to the size of the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt entirely, it's estimated that global sea levels would increase by about 24.3 feet, according to Reuters reports.

Scientists warn that a rise in water levels is inevitable. As global warming continues, Greenland's ice sheet melting is predicted to push sea levels higher by at least 0.9 feet. Ice loss due to glacier retreat could severely impact ocean circulation patterns. According to Reuters, the influx of such a large volume of freshwater into the salty ocean may intensify coastal currents around Greenland and weaken ocean circulation that brings heat to Europe.

Source: Reuters