“Antarctica’s Impact on Rising Sea Levels Could Be Reduced, But Only with Swift Emission Reductions, McGill-Led Study Finds”
A groundbreaking study led by McGill University researchers suggests that Earth’s natural forces could play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of Antarctica’s ice loss on rising sea levels, but only if urgent action is taken to reduce carbon emissions in the coming decades. Conversely, if current emission levels persist, Antarctic ice loss could lead to even greater sea level rise than previously anticipated.
The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass on the planet, and its response to climate change remains a significant uncertainty in predicting future sea levels. Lead author Natalya Gomez, an Associate Professor at McGill’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, emphasized the importance of understanding the domino effect of Antarctic ice melt, especially with nearly 700 million people living in coastal areas and the potential trillions of dollars in costs associated with sea-level rise by the end of the century.
The study delves into the interaction between the ice sheet and the Earth’s subsurface, exploring how this dynamic is influenced by carbon emissions. This aspect has not been extensively studied in previous research, making this study a significant contribution to the field.
Gomez highlighted that while some sea level rise is inevitable, swift action to reduce emissions could help prevent the most devastating impacts of climate change, particularly for coastal communities. The research team found that post-glacial uplift, a process where the land rises as ice melts, could act as a natural brake on ice-mass loss if emissions are reduced, potentially reducing Antarctica’s contribution to sea-level rise by up to 40 percent.
However, if carbon emissions continue unabated and global temperatures rise rapidly, the rebounding land may not be sufficient to slow down ice melting, leading to accelerated sea-level rise along populated coastlines. The researchers used specialized instruments from the ANET-POLENET project to measure Antarctica’s ground motion, providing crucial data for their 3D model of Earth’s interior.
The study, published in Science Advances, underscores the unequal impacts of climate change, with island nations expected to bear the brunt of consequences despite contributing the least to global emissions. The collaboration between researchers from various institutions highlights the importance of interdisciplinary efforts in understanding and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.