Antarctic sea ice loss drives ocean shift; Greenland ice shrinks again

· Climate

Two new pieces of climate science landed together. Researchers publishing Wednesday documented a sharp salinity increase in a vast layer of the Southern Ocean, from roughly 2,300 to 4,000 feet deep and encircling Antarctica, tied to the rapid decline of Antarctic sea ice since 2016 — a dramatic shift in a key part of Earth's climate system. Separately, Carbon Brief reported that Greenland has now marked a 30th consecutive year in which it lost more ice than it gained over the 12-month period. Both findings point to accelerating polar change with consequences for ocean circulation, sea level and the models used across the industry.

Why it matters：Shifts in polar ice and ocean salinity are inputs to the climate models and risk assessments that underpin infrastructure, insurance and energy planning worldwide.

Key points

  • The Southern Ocean salinity change spans a layer from about 2,300 to 4,000 feet deep.
  • Greenland has now lost more ice than it gained for 30 consecutive years.

Sources (original reporting)

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