The global sea level could rise 10 feet due to the rapidly melting ice in the West Antarctica Ice Sheet (WAIS), according to researchers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
The ice in the Antarctic region has dropped 26% below the average recorded between 1991 and 2020, which is the second-lowest level in almost 44 years.
BAS researchers have revealed that the global average temperature recorded an increase of 0.4°C in March 2022, making it the fifth hottest March since the official record-keeping started.
The recent rise in temperature will further accelerate the melting of ice in Antarctica, increasing the global sea levels by 10 feet and putting millions of individuals at the risk of displacement.
Commenting on the development, Dr. Kaitlin Naughten, ocean-ice modeler at BAS, said that simulations have shown that the Amundsen Sea in WAIS is extremely vulnerable to long-term climate changes, particularly the change in the pattern of winds in the Southern Hemisphere.
Dr. Naughten added that the pattern of the Southern Hemisphere’s winds could change sooner rather than later due to the rising presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Expressing hope, Dr. Naughten said that the rise in sea level could be controlled by slowing down the melting of ice in the Antarctic region, which is only possible by reducing the emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieving zero-emission by 2050.
