The strong warning from a group of scientists has generated a real environmental alarm in Antarctica. If the estimates are met, a catastrophe will occur: the sea level could rise by 50 meters.
Due to its geographical position, the white continent experiences extremely cold climatic conditions, with average temperatures ranging between -10ºC and -30ºC.
Moreover, it is the driest and highest continent in the world, with an average elevation of 2500 meters above sea level. This makes it one of the coldest and most inhospitable places on planet Earth. However, climate change has also been threatening it for some time.
Environmental alarm in Antarctica: scientists’ warning
Climate change is particularly harmful to Antarctica through global warming. A process that entails a gradual increase in the planet’s average temperatures.
The result is a significant alteration in the availability and distribution of water within and outside the continent. Its accelerated melting contributes to the rise in sea levels, with severe consequences for coastal areas worldwide.
The white continent and the Southern Ocean have been undergoing rapid and extreme changes for several years, including unprecedented heatwaves and record-breaking sea ice levels.
Over 450 researchers gathered in Hobart for the first Australian Antarctic Research Conference. Subsequently, they issued a joint statement: “Making Antarctica cool again”.
The statement warns about the negative consequences of the global rise in sea levels caused by the melting of ice sheets.
“Nowhere on Earth is there a greater source of uncertainty in sea level rise projections than in East Antarctica, in Australia’s backyard,” they caution in the statement.
“The implications for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense,” they add.
How much has the sea level risen
In the last 30 years, the global sea level has risen by approximately 10 centimeters, according to the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP). Scientists claim it could increase by one meter by the end of the century under high emissions scenarios.
According to the AAPP, Antarctica is currently losing 17 million tons of ice every hour. This amount is equivalent to a giant ice cube measuring 260 meters on each side.
“Recent research has shown record sea ice levels, extreme heatwaves exceeding 40 degrees Celsius above average temperatures, and increased instability around major ice shelves,” they warn.
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