After a dramatic shrinkage in the Antarctic Ice Shelf, scientists are worried at how the extensive melting of the ice sheet could affect sea levels and cause flooding to costal towns all around the world.
Climate change analysts have recently discovered a total decline in the West Antarctic Ice Shelf, and according to the study, over the past 200 years, the shelf has thinned a height of over 400 meters due to global warming. If this ice sheet continues to decrease at such a rapid rate, dire consequences could occur, as the shelf alone contains enough water to raise sea levels over five meters.
Although the Antarctic is not the only one in danger— the Southeastern Greenland Ice Sheet has also been melting at dangerously fast rates. Scientists have stated that the Shelf is melting 20% faster than they had predicted, and this additional ice loss poses potential problems for ocean circulation patterns and sea level rise. Greenland is in urgent need of monitoring and addressing the ongoing ice loss crisis, as it could have significant implications for global climate and ocean systems in the long term.
Together, Antarctica and Greenland are losing a combined average of 420 billion metric tons of ice per year since 2002, meaning that if things don’t pick up and climate change continues its destruction on the ice sheets, we could see sea levels rising at around 16 feet or higher just within the next couple of years.
Costa Mesa is located on the coastline of Orange County, California, so what could these severely high sea levels possibly mean for us if the ice shelves continue to melt? As a county, we would see our most popular beaches, residential areas, roads, airports, and utilities be fully submerged and all areas around the coast would be in danger of major flooding. There is also the possibility that the intrusion of salt water could contaminate our freshwater sources and badly harm or even kill off ecosystems. Because Costa Mesa is at a higher altitude than some of our surrounding cities, we have a small advantage of not being in an as vulnerable state, but however we would still suffer the consequences of flooding and costal erosion.
The reality of Antarctic and Greenland ice melts serves as a reminder of the urgent need for global climate action. As we confront the threat of rising sea levels, the fate of coastal communities like Costa Mesa hangs in the balance. It's on us to be the ones to rise to the challenge, making a path toward a sustainable future for generations to come.
