E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSA new study published in 'Science' found the ice in Greenland is melting five times faster than in the early 90s, part of what accounts for a 20 percent rise in sea level over the past two decades. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
What had been a blurry picture about polar ice — especially how it impacts sea levels — just got a whole lot clearer as experts on Thursday published a peer-reviewed study they say puts to rest the debate over whether the poles added to, or subtracted from, sea level rise over the last two decades.
"This improved certainty allows us to say definitively that both Antarctica and Greenland have been losing ice," lead author Andrew Shepherd of the University of Leeds in Britain, told reporters. Not only that, but the pace has tripled from the 1990s, the data indicate.
Combining satellite data from dozens of earlier studies, the study "shows that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have contributed just over 11 millimeters (0.4 inches) to global sea levels since 1992," he added. Two-thirds was from Greenland, a third from Antarctica.
NASA Earth Observatory
This 20-mile-long rift on Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier, seen from a satellite on Oct. 26, will eventually calve off, possibly in the next few months, creating an iceberg the size of New York City. While that won't raise sea levels since the glacial tongue sits on water, the loss could speed up the flow of ice from Antarctica's mainland into the sea.
That's 20 percent of all sea level rise over the last two decades, with the rest mostly from thermal expansion of waters due to warming sea temperatures, the authors noted. In recent years, however, the percentage "has gone up significantly" to nearly 40 percent, added co-author Michiel van den Broeke from Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
Published in the journal Science, the study was based on input from 47 experts at the 26 institutes that produced earlier studies with wild variations. Some of those studies estimated melt was raising sea levels by up to 2 millimeters a year, Shepherd noted, while a few said that overall polar ice was growing, and thus countering sea level rise.
Much of the discrepancy was due to data showing that Antarctica's vast eastern ice sheet was adding, not losing ice.
Eastern Antarctica has indeed added ice, but continent-wide the last decade shows a "50 percent increase in ice loss rate," said study co-author Erik Ivins, a satellite data expert with NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.
Most of that loss is in western Antarctica — at places like Pine Island Glacier, where an iceberg the size of New York City is set to calve off. The iceberg itself won't raise sea levels since that ice is already atop water, but thinning glaciers mean that ice on the mainland can make its way downhill to the sea faster.
ESA/NASA/Planetary Visions
Based on the new study in Science, this chart shows changes in global sea level due to ice sheet melting since 1992. The background image shows thickening (blue) and thinning (red) of Antarctica's ice sheets over the same period.
Even more dramatic, Ivins said, is that Greenland "is losing mass at about five times the rate today as it was in the early 1990s."
Greenland's melt rate has gone from 55 billion tons a year in the 1990s to nearly 290 billion tons a year recently, according to the study.
A top ice expert who was not a study co-author told NBC News that the new data mark "an important step forward" in better estimating future sea level rise.
"While we had a basic picture of what was going on, it was an incomplete and blurry one," said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado-Boulder. "We needed to step back and take a fresh look, making the best use of all of the different data sources that we have.
"With this study," he added, "we now have a lot confidence in how the ice sheets are behaving."
The findings come as nations negotiate in Qatar over a new climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which aimed to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases tied to a warming Earth.
And while a 0.4 inch rise in sea levels over 20 years doesn't sound like much, many experts fear further warming will accelerate the polar melt. The ice sheets would raise sea levels by more than 200 feet if they completely melted over centuries — not likely, but even a tenth of that would have catastrophic impacts on coastal areas.
The authors warned that while the new data should become the benchmark for future forecasts, any new studies could be compromised if aging satellites are not replaced. In the U.S., the Obama administration is overhauling its satellite program after an outside review team found it "dysfunctional."
Related: Sea levels rose 60 percent faster than forecast, study finds
"It’s really critical that these measurements are sustained and several satellites are beginning to fail," noted Ian Joughin, a University of Washington researcher.
"If we really want to have meaningful information that you know planners can use to build seawalls," he added, "there’s going to have to be a big push to improve our projections of sea level rise using models."
More world stories from NBC News:
- Tobacco industry uses trade pacts to try to snuff out anti-smoking laws
- Syrians risk lives in battle to protect nation's ancient sites
- An ocean away in UK, time is running out to claim $100 million lottery prize
- ANALYSIS: Egypt learns the art of politics amid protests
- Arafat's exhumation: Palestinians' desire for truth might be dashed again
- Chinese paper falls for Onion 'sexiest man alive' spoof
- ANALYSIS: Israeli defense chief quits politics — but for how long?
- Scientists rush to save manta rays, the 'pandas of the ocean'
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
Want to reduce Global Warming?
Reduce the human population!
Original
URL:
Global warming still
stalled since 1998, WMO Doha figures show
'We're looking into this
thing which is NOT HAPPENING'
By Lewis Page
Posted
in Science, 29th November 2012 11:58 GMT
Free whitepaper
– Operationalizing Information Security
Figures
released by the UN's World Meteorological Organisation indicate that 2012 is
set to be perhaps the ninth hottest globally since records began - but that
planetary warming, which effectively stalled around 1998, has yet to resume at
the levels seen in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The
WMO figures are produced by averaging those from the three main climate databases:
those of NASA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
and the British one compiled jointly by the Met Office and the University of
East Anglia.
The
2012 figure for the year so far stands at 14.45°C. If that were the figure for
the full year, it would be cooler than 1998 (14.51°C) and most of the years
since then (full listing from the Met Office here [1]).
The
official position of the climate establishment is that global warming is still
definitely on and the flat temperatures seen for the last 14 years or so are
just a statistical fluke of the sort to be expected when trying to measure such
a vast and noisy signal as world temperatures with such precision. (The global
warming since 1950 is assessed as just half a degree, a difficult thing to pick
out when temperatures everywhere go up and down by many degrees every day and
even more over a year.)
That
said, there is now some admission even from the hardest climate hardliners that
something may be going on which is not understood. Dr Peter Stott of the Met
Office, head of Climate Monitoring and Attribution, had this to say while
announcing the 2012-so-far-number:
"We
are investigating why the temperature rise at the surface has slowed in recent
years, including how ocean heat content changes and the effects of aerosols
from atmospheric pollution may have influenced global climate." ®
Links
It's time to stop tolerating obstructive behavior on this issue. The evidence is in. We need to solve this problem before it becomes a catastrophe beyond solution. Fortunately we can kill two birds with one stone. The same obstacle that stands in the way here is the same one standing in the way of our economic problems. The right wing republican wackos. Get the hell out of the way.
I am old enough to have watched it change. How many decades does one have to hear that the seasons are arriving later from friends and neighbors? I remember when hurricane season was a defined time. Now it has no end. There are polar shipping routes. Island nations are being flooded out by rising oceans.
AGW is not numbers on a chart. You don’t have to be old to notice that things are changing. You only need to acknowledge what your own senses are telling you.
That is horrible advice... you're telling people to reply on senses? Like, what senses? ESP? That little tingly feeling they get when they walk out on a cold morning to get the newspaper? The feeling that comes when you wake up from a bad dream?
If you ignore the obvious -that this global warming crap is NOT happening - and then reply on your ESP or your superhero spidy-senses... you may also think that ingrown toenails cause male pattern baldness and early menopause.
Everybody always harps on the fact that after the 1800s the amount of greenhouse gases has risen drastically especially starting the mid-1900s. And they always blame it on using fossil fuels. Every article that's printed reiterates only that and never prints or states the obvious. In 1804 there were 1billion people living in the world with the associated numbers of livestock. It took us 123 years to go from 1-2 billion people but, only took us 85 years to go from 2-7 billion with a proportionate increase in the world livestock population. And what do all the people and livestock do? Well duh they breathe out CO2 and expel methane.
According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent than transportation. Livestock production is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases, responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalents. By comparison, all transportation emits 13.5% of the CO2. . Livestock produces 65% of human-related nitrous oxide (which has 296 times the global warming potential of CO2,) and 37% of all human-induced methane (which is 23 times as warming as CO2. It also generates 64% of the ammonia emission. Livestock expansion is cited as a key factor driving deforestation, in the Amazon basin 70% of previously forested area is now occupied by pastures and the remainder used for feed crops.
So if a current world livestock population of approximately 2.5 billion animals produces 18% of the world's human contribution of CO2, 65% of nitrous oxide and 37% of methane just by breathing and passing gas, what do you think a population of 7 billion people breathing and farting contributes to the atmosphere? Can we reduce greenhouse gases by using less oil/gas, absolutely. But with an additional 1 billion people projected to be added to the world population by 2025 it wouldn't even make a dent. Will trading in carbon credits reduce greenhouse gasses? Hmmmm let me think another billion people every 14-20 years, I don't think so. All that will do is make rich people richer. Maybe the U.N. should do a study of the amount of greenhouse gasses produce by natural bodily functions. Or better yet we could come up with a fart credit system and trade in those. Either we go back to the days when everybody walked or rode a horse and kill off the massive herds of livestock or we live with it. The only guaranteed way we'll ever reduce our greenhouse gases is to reduce the world's population, which will never happen.
This story is complete and utter B-S. It defines the entire bogus global warming theory as being one of... if you tell a lie long enough, people will start to believe you. I have family living along two coasts on two separate continents and sea levels are NOT rising.
This is an attempt by the power elite to gain a firm grip on the throat of the world by way of out-in-out lies.
Those that really believe in this global warming crap should be buying up property in the Aleutian Islands. It'll soon be a tropical paradise. LOL.
Those who deny this global warming stuff without understanding it will eventually just embarrass themselves. LOL
Much of the Aleutian have heavy volcanic activity regardless of climate. I don't see large populations living there.
with all the boasting our re-elected (cough) president has been spreading like cheap manure why cant cant he put up a reward for the best idea to stop the rise of our sea? yes ice is melting, and yes temperatures are changing, but lets consider the obvious.. number one more people on this planet, duhhh..a by product of our expansion of the human race there are things to consider. more black top (heat) maker, many more vehicles per family.. all the concrete slabs, buildings and monuments take away our dirt..GOD made our planet special, because of cause and effect we are causing our planet to re bell.. in my state we give a permit to a company (and because its got a government contract) that is aloud to kill every living thing in the river which by a quote from a chick named erwin said it wasn't the absence of fish or any living thing in the river, but all wildlife that it sustained dependent on the river..(cause) it also(effect) effected all the small businesses that made their living along the banks.. bait stores, canoe rentals, people who caught and ate the fish to live boyscout,girlscouts,lovers, campers...no one wants to (smart) go into the river, no more swingin across the river from a tree and splashing in the water, kids just playing don't have that opportunity any more to look at the things that swim along the edge of the banks.. we have so many ruling state and national government that are living in THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY..old school mentality, good ole boy mentality tellin people they wont get fired, ever, as long as i am in office, or" when i get in office i'll have more flexibility" instead of growing a set.. we held an election for the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ..,by all standards a prestigious but moreover an HONOR,, a responsibility, to the people of which you will serve.. not special groups, or certain social groups, u know the ones who always have their pinky up when dining( drinkin that can of bud,,lol) but to look out whats best for the COUNTRY as a whole.. on one side we had one canidate,, we'll call him hominee, and the other one we'll call bahama joe.. both outstanding in what they know.. hominee worked for companies and hired and fired people.. you put out or," you were fired", that was his job. and he excelled, he made the companies money, and he made money.. business is business .. ain't that the AMERICAN dream? work, start you're own business, run it CORRECTLY whatever has to be done doing whats necessary,, and you make money.. a business man.. now the other one bahama joe never even ran a candy store, just a talker..never answering a yes or no question, but always evading the question with a speech,,ewe he's so charismatic.. oh kay now give a business man a challenge and he and whoever he can get to work with him in harmony will meet that challenge,, or he should get fired! right? so what i think first is get rid of all the cars that people get for working(cough) for the government, and their gas cards.. ask, no tell them to turn in receipts with mileage and then they will get reimbursed like we had to and wait, its not a privilege, its an honor.. less running around with company fuel and an extra vehicle(more) heat..i could go on and on yadah yadah but why you know what needs to be said.. bahama joe said he would create jobs and stop global warming, oh kay, lets pull up our big boy pants and come to our resue..offer a government contract which the world will embrace with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA patents that sea water will be desalinized and pumped into the interior part of the country on a massive scale.. large pipelines(jobs), large plants(jobs) that will perform this task, responsibly without any unions other than the union of the people to get ahead, work , get paid, and to be able to spend money on their families.. the farms would burst and we could export to the world, food.. yes we do that now but lets face it the government dictates to the farmer(and no G M O product allowed to be imported or grown in the U>S> and every one-else in the food and ag system how high to jump.. my goodness telling people they need bigger cages to trans fer livestock and such? fine let them supply what they want instead of the grower having to retool, and again put out first then get reimbursed out of his pocket and his expense.. just think(i'm sorry he has no imagination)(cough) a country that came up with an idea that would enrich our soil, change temperatures(most ground tend to stay cooler and radiates heat quicker than dry dirt).. and re-moisturize our soil(effect) thereby lowering sea levels(because we keep building monument to ourselves to show what a crappy STEWARD we are to what GOD gave us) civilization hoe. Mr. Boener said bahama joe wont consider what the people need,, some thing(oops a plan) that will work effective immediately duhhh because it will affect his union and wall street bedmates. tooo bad y'all did't vote for someone who did't tickle you're ears with empty promises,(with his buddy howdy freakin doodie, laughing boy,,, you know him,, he can't open his mouth without cussin or stickin his foot in his mouth,,good choice) come on,, four years and its still the private sector holding up the country,, but would more than run this country for the people like it should be(what a laughing stock we are to the World )couldn't be any worse..try it you'll like it ,lol.
When I was much younger, and lacked reasoning power, I bought into the stories being put forth by the worlds scientists. In the early 70s we were told about the coming ice age. The world was in the midst of a global cooling. It seems it was mans fault. We had opened a hole in space with fluorocarbons. The heat was escaping. Hell, I even wrote a story about it.
The world became sooo cold, people had to go out in space type suits and cut blocks of ice for water, and blocks of frozen oxygen to thaw in their homes.
My story, like the stories from scientists are just fiction.
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah blah. It a natural cycle you morons. mini ice age will come soon return to normal. done.
No its not, but a moron wouldn't know that.
OK I admit it, I am a global warmer! I have little options not to be. But the world today is forcing us to play or lose. Greed brought us here not just innovations. But what do we do about. South America wants to become more like us China wants to be more like us. Even now that we are trying to gain a more environmentalist agenda it might be too late. So what is going to reverse this? Even if we stopped burning all fossil fuel and greenhouse gases, and that is not going to happen overnight. What are we supposed to do about this?
I don't even entertain a single thought that we are not the cause of this. It doesn't take a scientist to understand what is happening. But since we have scientists that are working to figure this out. And they have with even more data than 50 years ago think we are the cause of global warming. And if man made influences were not taken in to consideration that would be unscientific.
Lighten up everybody! Virginia's Attorney General Kevin Cuccinelli has discovered that global warming is a fraud. The solution is to have Cuccinelli serves these melting formations orders to cease and desist in this alleged activity.
Just goes to show that these Giant Ice PACS have too much influence upon our environment. Reassuring to know that the Virginia AG is putting up the good fight. Think of how much more he could accomplish if he were a U.S. Senator or President even. Don't worry be happy!
Cuccinelli is threatening to become Virginia's governor next year when the state holds that election. Brace yourself for that.
Except NASA has this to say about the data used for this study.
New proposal from NASA JPL admits to “spurious” errors in current satellite based sea level and ice altimetry, calls for new space platform to fix the problem.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/10/30/finally-jpl-intends-to-get-a-grasp-on-accurate-sea-level-and-ice-measurements/
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/12/03/why-ice-loss-and-sea-level-measurements-via-satellite-and-the-new-shepard-et-al-paper-are-highly-uncertain-at-the-moment/
So inaccurate data with known problems was used to produce this study that claims melting is worse.
if this report is true its actually a good thing. the oceans are much too salty. i have been saying for years we need to dilute the oceans a bit.
Sorry, what was that "There is no such thing as global warming" crap I heard about eight years ago?
"God, grant me the wisdom to change the thing I can change, accept the the things I can not change, and the wisdom to know the difference."
If you think you can influence the climate, I've got a bunch of carbon credits I'd like to sell you.
We already have influenced the climate, just not in a good way.
Bring it on, we need a change and the human population is way too high. That is the cause of global warming if it exists
I think it's time for these people posting to go the way of the dinosuar and they will. I, actually, look forward to it!
I welcome climate change global warming and the sea lever rise. Then I won't have as far to walk to the beach...here in Denver.
Lot of naive pple out there..whooo! And you think because a scientist says it is, it is? They have their own personal agenda. Every last one of them wants to be known as the "first" to find this or that which translates into money in their pockets and their name on a plaque. The earth will do what the earth will do, then it will fix itself. Short of killing all humankind, what u gonna do? U need to put your drink aside and realize that this global warming/melting has happened before (w/o man) and will probably happen again for whatever reason you want to blame it on. Noah would have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had just moved his family a lot further inland but then..he wouldn't have ended up in history (so to speak) huh? So, quit quoting the bible and all other religious texts as truth, they have all been manipulated to persuade the ignorant. Whatever rebuttal you have to say to this, pat yourself on the back and do it, I won't be back to read it.
the flintstones really happened
Good!
The beach won't be as far away from my house as it currently is!
I like swimming!
Maybe this will flush out all of the filth in New York, Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and San Francisco!
Always a silver lining!
Gonna go outside RIGHT NOW and idle my car for no reason what-so-ever for a few hours after chopping down a tree and starting a fire in my fireplace to see if I can speed the process along!
Oh, and firing up the grill to scorch some cow flesh for a tasty dinner while waiting for the world to melt!
It's sad that it is happening but all goverments don't care that it's happening .It doesn't affect the present or the near future all they care is about now and theres not enough people in the world that care to make a change and won't be able too..
Notice this information is coming out just as negotiations to replace the kyobi protocol are hashed out? How convenient. Shame on this "scientific community" for once again distorting findings to suit a need. Take a look around you , you are going to find the other planets are raising,declining at the same rate we are. It's a function of solar activity, not some made up man made model of what we have done to our own planet. The United States is the only nation on earth that has achieved a reduction in CO2 of 7% since 1996. It hasn't helped anything except line the pockets of the likes of Al Gore. Give him your money if you want to, I'll keep mine.