Scientists issue stark warning as Antarctic Ice Sheet is on verge of collapsing and causing irreversible global damage
Scientists have warned people of a potential global catastrophe that could take place as a result of global warming.
It's all to do with the Antarctic Ice Sheet, a vast body of frozen freshwater that contains approximately 750,000 cubic miles of ice.
According to the experts, the sheet is at risk of completely collapsing, which would cause 'irreversible' damage to the world if it happened.
The natural feature could cause the sea-level to rise by an unprecedented amount, with scientists warning that global warming could take its toll on several countries.
Advert
David Chandler was the author of the study, and he spoke about 'the start of a collapse' at Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) recently.
All it takes is a slight increase in deep ocean temperature, and we could all be in trouble.
If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in particular were to collapse, a sea-level rise over the next few hundred years could take place.
This could be around four metres, and all it would take is 'as little as 0.25°C deep ocean warming above present-day can trigger the start of a collapse,' says Chandler.
He added: "With our present-day climate, the transition to the collapsed state will be slow, maybe 1,000 years, but it will likely be much faster if there is additional global warming."
This would result in cities and towns, specifically on the coasts, being flooded, with millions forced to leave their homes.
For small island nations though, they could be forced underwater completely, leaving inhabitants with no home.
As for ice sheets in general, the glacial bodies of ice make up more than 19,000 square miles, though there are only two on Eaerth.
These are the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Greenland Ice Sheet.
The western section of the former is more prone to climate change though, as it largely rests on the sea bed.
But with the water beneath it getting progressively warmer, it could spell trouble for humans.
Speaking to MailOnline, Chandler pointed out: "Both East and West Antarctica have really thick ice – well over 3km (2 miles), even 4.9km (3 miles) at its thickest,
"West Antarctica is important for two reasons; first, if even a small fraction of all that ice melts it will cause devastating sea-level rise."
He added that the ice sheet influences climate itself, so if it were to melt, countries around the world would be affected too, including some in Europe.
The team behind the study included academics from the UK and Germany, who ran model simulations through glacial cycles that took place in the past 800,000 years or so.
In this time, out planet's climate has switched between 'glacial' and 'interglacial' times, that being cold periods and warmer periods.
While some interglacials were warmer than our present day climate, it helps us visualise what the world would look like as a result of global warming.
In these periods, warmer ocean water can thin out and melt the ice shelves around the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Chandler explained: "In the past 800,000 years, the Antarctic Ice Sheet has had two stable states that it has repeatedly tipped between,
"One, with the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in place, is the state we are currently in. The other state is where the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has collapsed."
When the ice sheet returns to its 'collapsed' state, reversal back to its present-day state would need thousands of years of cool temperatures.
Chandler called the collapse, when it is to happen, 'practically irreversible'.
Topics: Global Warming, Science
Joshua Nair