Just 3% of the world's glaciers account for over half of glacier ice loss
A new study reveals that glaciers ending in lakes account for over half of global glacier ice loss, despite representing only 3% of the world's glaciers. Researchers found these glaciers melt 57% faster than those ending on land, suggesting a need to update climate projection models.
Why it matters
Improving the accuracy of glacier melt models is critical for better predicting sea-level rise and managing water resources globally.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add to Preferred Sources Credit: Franzi Pronneg from Pexels Glaciers ending in lakes, oceans or ice shelves make up 3.2% of the world's glaciers, but lost 134 billion metric tons (148 billion tons) of ice each year between 2000 and 2019, accounting for more than half of all glacier ice loss, a new study shows.
The team of environmental scientists found that these glaciers tend to be much larger than those ending on land, together covering more than half of the world's glacier area. But for glaciers ending in lakes, size isn't the whole story.
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