Greenland may become ice-less by the year 3000: Study

The effects of global warming may melt the ice sheet of Greenland and increase global sea level by the year 3000, say researchers.

This research used new data on the landscape, under the ice to make breakthroughs in modelling the island's future. The findings show if greenhouse gas concentrations remain on their current path, the melting ice from Greenland alone could contribute as much as 24 feet to global sea level rise by the time it disappears, reported the study published in the Journal of Science Advances.

New research shows an iceless Greenland may be in the future. If worldwide greenhouse gas emissions remain on their current trajectory, Greenland may be ice-free by the year 3000. Even by the end of the century, the island could lose 4.5 per cent of its ice, contributing up to 13 inches of sea level rise.

"How Greenland will look in the future in a couple of hundred years or in 1,000 years whether there will be Greenland, or at least a Greenland similar to today, it's up to us," said Andy Aschwanden, lead author of the study.

This research uses new data on the landscape under the ice today to make breakthroughs in modelling the future. The findings show a wide range of scenarios for ice loss and sea level rise based on different projections for greenhouse gas concentrations and atmospheric conditions. Currently, the planet is moving toward the high estimates of greenhouse gas concentrations.

Greenland's ice sheet is huge, spanning over 660,000 square miles. It is almost the size of Alaska and 80 per cent as big as the U.S. east of the Mississippi River. Today, the ice sheet covers 81 per cent of Greenland and contains 8 per cent of Earth's fresh water.

If greenhouse gas concentrations remain on the current path, the melting ice from Greenland alone could contribute as much as 24 feet to global sea level rise by the year 3000, which would put much of San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans and other cities under water.

However, if greenhouse gas emissions are cut significantly, that picture changes. Instead, by 3000 Greenland may lose 8 per cent to 25 per cent of ice and contribute up to approximately 6.5 feet of sea level rise.