A recent study reveals that the extent of ice loss in Greenland over the last thirty years is approximately 36 times larger than the area of New York City. This land is undergoing a rapid transformation, with wetlands and shrubs taking over.
Over the past few decades, Greenland has experienced a significant increase in vegetation. Previously covered in ice and snow, large portions of the country have now been transformed into barren rock, wetlands, or shrub areas. In that time, the number of wetlands increased fourfold.
Through the analysis of satellite imagery, scientists have discovered that Greenland has experienced a significant loss of ice over the past three decades, amounting to approximately 28,707 square kilometers (or around 11,000 square miles). This finding raises concerns about the potential consequences of climate change and the rise in sea levels, highlighting the need for further attention and action.
Rising air temperatures have caused the melting of ice, leading to an increase in land temperatures. This has led to the melting of permafrost, a frozen layer located just beneath the Earth’s surface and commonly found in the Arctic. As a result, carbon dioxide and methane, which are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, are released into the atmosphere. The melting of permafrost is leading to land instability, potentially affecting infrastructure and buildings.
According to one of the authors of the report, Jonathan Carrivick, there are indications that the reduction of ice in Greenland is causing a chain reaction that will lead to more ice loss and an increase in vegetation. When the ice recedes, exposed rock becomes tundra, and eventually shrubs take over. “Simultaneously, water released from the melting ice carries sediment and silt, leading to the formation of wetlands and fenlands over time.”
The loss of ice is causing a feedback loop to occur. The reflection of the sun’s energy by snow and ice helps to regulate the temperature on Earth, preventing it from getting too hot in certain areas. However, with the disappearance of ice, these areas tend to absorb more solar energy. This leads to an increase in land surface temperatures, which in turn can contribute to further melting and other detrimental consequences.
Ice melt also leads to an increase in the water levels of lakes. This is because water has the ability to absorb more heat compared to snow, resulting in higher temperatures on land.
Greenland has experienced a significant increase in temperature, surpassing the global average, since the 1970s. The authors of the study caution that even more extreme temperatures are expected in the future.
Large expanses of ice and glaciers primarily cover Greenland, the biggest island in the world. Approximately 57,000 individuals reside in this autonomous country, which is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. A significant portion of the population consists of indigenous communities, which heavily depend on natural ecosystems for their livelihood.
According to Michael Grimes, the lead author of the report, the influx of sediments and nutrients into coastal waters poses a significant challenge for indigenous communities that depend on fishing, as well as for hunters in other areas of the island.
These changes are of utmost importance, especially for the indigenous populations, who heavily depend on the stability of these fragile ecosystems for their traditional subsistence hunting practices,” he stated.
Furthermore, the decline in ice mass in Greenland is a significant factor in the increase of global sea levels, which presents considerable challenges at present and in the coming years.
