Melting of the world’s biggest ice sheet would cause catastrophic sea level rise, but can be avoided with fast climate action
, assessed the sensitivity of the EAIS to global heating using data on how it responded to higher global temperatures in the past, information on the changes happening now and computer simulations of possible futures.
Prof Andrew Mackintosh, at Monash University, Australia, who was not part of the study team, said: “Vast areas of East Antarctica remain understudied, including the most vulnerable basins that could contribute to sea level rise over coming centuries.” The analysis includes data from the geological past showing that the last time CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere were higher than today was about 3myears ago. Temperatures were then 2-4C higher – in the range the world could experience later this century – and sea level eventually rose 10-25 metres higher than at present. As recently as 400,000 years ago, part of the EAIS retreated 700km inland when global temperature rose only 1-2C.
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