Greenland, Antarctica Lose 11.3 Trillion Tons Since 1979

Greenland and Antarctica lost a combined 11.3 trillion metric tons of ice between 1979 and 2023, raising global sea levels by about 3.14 centimeters, according to the longest satellite record yet assembled. Greenland accounted for roughly 60% of the loss and Antarctica 40%, with the rate of ice loss quadrupling from the 1980s to the 2010s. Scientists say the decline is driven not only by surface melting but also by warmer ocean water eroding ice and accelerating glaciers that discharge into the sea, making the ice sheets responsible for about a quarter of current sea-level rise. A temporary slowdown from 2020 to 2023 reflected increased snowfall in East Antarctica and milder Greenland summers rather than a reversal of the long-term trend. Researchers warn that each additional centimeter of sea-level rise exposes roughly 2 million to 3 million people to annual coastal flooding.