Antarctica’s future is uncertain—but the next few decades are not

ORIGIN: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/

Scientists say the next three decades could prove crucial for predicting Antarctic ice loss, with new research offering fresh insight into future sea level rise and climate adaptation planning.

Vanderford Glacier. Credit: Monash SAEF.

A new study published in the journal Nature, led by Monash University researcher Dr Felicity McCormack from Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), describes how the next three to five decades are critical for planning Antarctic ice loss and how it will affect sea level rise.

According to reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global sea levels are projected to rise by 2 metres by 2100, a possibility under high-emission scenarios due to the collapse of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

This level of sea-level rise would cause one-quarter of Australian homes to flood, render much of the Pacific uninhabitable, and displace a huge number of people globally, representing one of the most significant humanitarian challenges in history.

Sea level rise numbers uncertain

However, the trajectory of sea level rise from now until 2100 is uncertain because predicting Antarctic ice loss is difficult.