Computer models show that even a small rise in water temperature could trigger significant ice sheet collapse.
This process may be responsible for underestimating past sea level rises and poses severe future risks.
Key quote:
“With every tenth of a degree of ocean warming, we get closer and closer to passing this tipping point.”
— Dr. Alexander Bradley, British Antarctic Survey
Why this matters:
The urgency of addressing climate change becomes more apparent with each new study. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in renewable energy, and enhancing coastal resilience are steps that must be accelerated to prevent the most severe outcomes of a warming planet.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority says global warming must be kept to 1.5 degrees - a threshold that scientists say requires shutting down coal within three decades.
