An international study including researchers from Uppsala University estimates
Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost about 11.3 trillion tons of ice
between 1979 and 2023, equivalent to a global mean sea level rise of just over 3
cm. The study shows a clear acceleration: Greenland shifted from near mass
balance in the 1970s to average losses of roughly 60 Gt/yr in the 1980s and
about 264 Gt/yr in the 2010s. Antarctic losses rose from roughly 48 Gt/yr in the
1980s to about 202 Gt/yr in the 2010s, with West Antarctica contributing the
largest losses. Researchers say consecutive years of above‑average summer
driving widespread surface melt temperatures are a major factor in the increased
mass loss.
