According to the report, the most severe effects of global warming are being seen in the polar regions, particularly around the North and South Poles. The findings indicate that Greenland and Antarctica have lost 12.5 trillion tons of ice since 1979, equivalent to around 11.3 lakh crore metric tons.
The scale of the ice loss can be understood from the fact that if this amount of ice were spread across the entire American continent, it would form an ice sheet around 5 feet deep.
The melted ice has also resulted in a massive increase in the amount of water entering the oceans. The report states that the 12.5 trillion tons of melted ice have turned into nearly 3 quadrillion gallons, or 11.3 quadrillion litres, of water.
This additional water has contributed to a rise in global sea levels. Since 1979, the world’s sea level has increased by around 1 inch, or 3.1 centimetres, as a result of the ice loss.
The figures presented in the Scientific Data report underline the scale of ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica over the past several decades and highlight the impact of the Earth’s rising temperatures on the planet’s polar regions and global sea levels.
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