Greenland, Antarctica have lost 11,309 billion tonnes of ice since 1979, raising sea levels by 31.4 mm

Greenland and Antarctica have lost 11,309 billion tonnes of ice since 1979. (Photo: SWNS) Greenland and Antarctica have lost a combined 11.3 billion tonnes of ice since the late 1970s, contributing more than 3 centimetres to global sea level rise, according to a new international assessment by polar scientists.As per SWNS, the comprehensive study, led by researchers at Northumbria University and supported by NASA, provides what scientists describe as the most complete picture yet of how the world's two major ice sheets have changed over the past half-century.Between 1979 and 2023, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost an estimated 11,309 billion tonnes of ice, raising global sea levels by 31.4 millimetres. Greenland accounted for the larger contribution, while Antarctica was responsible for 13.3 millimetres of sea level rise.Glacier acceleration drives most of the ice lossOne of the study's key findings is that the majority of ice loss was not caused by melting at the surface.Researchers found that around 84% of the ice loss occurred because glaciers accelerated and discharged more ice into the ocean, while surface melting accounted for approximately 16%.Dr Ines Otosaka, one ...