Global peril: Polar ice melt threatens Australia's coasts
"Runaway ice loss causing rapid and catastrophic sea-level rise is possible within our lifetimes," warn scientists specializing in polar research at the recently concluded Australian Antarctic Research Conference.
Hundreds of scientists gathered for an "emergency summit" at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, where about 500 polar researchers participated to discuss the uncertain future of Antarctica. The message from the Australian Antarctic Research Conference is clear: urgent action is needed to prevent the melting of Antarctica's ice and catastrophic sea level rises around the world.
Polar researchers warn about possible flooding of Australia's coastlines
"Nowhere on Earth is there a greater cause of uncertainty in sea-level rise projections than from East Antarctica, in Australia’s backyard. The East Antarctic Ice Sheet alone holds enough water to raise global sea levels by approximately 50 meters [164 feet] if completely melted. Implications for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense," reads a statement signed by 500 polar researchers.
They further write that "The services of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica – oceanic carbon sink and planetary air-conditioner – have been taken for granted. Global warming-induced shifts observed in the region are immense. Recent research has shown record-low sea ice, extreme heatwaves exceeding 40°C [72°F] above average temperatures, and increased instability around key ice shelves. Shifting ecosystems on land and at sea underscore this sensitive region’s rapid and unprecedented transformations."
Are the changes in Antarctica already irreversible?
Scientists also warn in the statement that: "ice loss causing rapid and catastrophic sea-level rise is possible within our lifetimes. Whether such irreversible tipping points have already passed is unknown." They also ponder whether irreversible tipping points have already passed and—most concerning—believe there's no way to determine this. The scientists emphasize that failing to promptly and significantly reduce carbon emissions annually and cumulatively will lock current and future generations into facing more severe sea level rise.
According to the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP), the organization behind the Australian summit, global sea levels have risen by about 10 centimetres over the past 30 years. The melting of ice from Antarctica, primarily as a result of climate change, is one of the major factors of this rise. As the AAPP warns, if the world increases its greenhouse gas emissions, coastal cities in Australia will likely see a sea level rise of about 80 centimetres by 2100.
As scientists emphasize, the world must implement "deep, rapid, and sustained" reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the impending catastrophe.
