The Melting of Greenland’s Ice Sheet Is a Complicated Matter

As we’ve discussed frequently here, the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is an extremely important, though infinitely complex and dynamic component in the environmental destruction caused by global warming. As covered in this article/video, one important factor is albedo, or the reflectivity of ice.  As anyone who’s ever walked barefoot across a black parking lot in the heat of the summer knows all too well, dark surfaces absorb more solar energy than light-colored ones.  The lower altitudes of the Ice Sheet are collecting several different substances from industrial sources (e.g., soot) around the globe that are forming huge, dark areas; these compounds are joined by the dark green of photosynthetic algae, resulting in albedo that is falling at a slow but exponentially growing pace, further accelerating the melting process.

As noted here, if the Greenland Ice Sheet melted, scientists estimate that sea level would rise about 6 meters (20 feet). If the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted, sea level would rise by about 60 meters (200 feet).

If you want an interesting exercise, look at a topographic map of the world, and see what our planetary coast line will look like at that point. If that doesn’t scare you, it’s not clear what will.