Global Warming Threatens Sea-Level Rise

Global warming appears to be pushing vast source of ice on Greenland and Antarctica toward a significant, long-term meltdown and could lead to a long and irrevocable rise in sea levels within the next century, according to new studies.

Warming temperatures are advancing on track to melt the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets earlier than previously thought, activating the 20ft sea rise by 2600 and deluging heavily-populated coastal areas, including much of the Netherlands but could be delayed by checking emissions of the greenhouse gases.

Researchers say once a brink of warming is crossed, the planet will see a huge retreat of ice sheets which would produce a ruinous sea level rise of at least 20ft, drowning the centre of London and displacing millions in Britain alone.

The global warming caused by greenhouse gases could magnify the melting around Antarctica beyond that of the last warm period, which was driven mainly by extra sunlight reaching the northern hemisphere, as per the computer intimation. The researchers also said that stains from dark smut floating from power plants and vehicles could stimulate melting in the Arctic by increasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by ice.

Going through an article of science, the researchers also said that they have discovered a rising frequency of earthquake-like grumblings in the bedrock below Greenland’s ice cap in late summer since 1993. As per the study it is observed that warming temperatures are causing glaciers the size of Manhattan to trigger quakes, and computer models of climate and ice showed that by about 2100, average temperatures could be 2.3 degrees Celsius warmer than today, the world’s oceans could rise 3.9 to 6 meters -- conditions last seen 130,000 years ago, between the last two ice ages.

Prof Michael Oppenheimer of Princeton University, Said that the work is "fascinating and scary at the same time," he added, "We should take this as a serious warning sign."

Jonathan T. Overpeck of the University of Arizona, a lead author of one of the studies, and Professor Bette Otto-Bliesner report the findings with colleagues from the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, US Geological Survey, universities and universal organizations.

Prof. Overpeck said, "This is a real eye-opener," he also said, "We could have a six meter sea level rise as early as 2600 - 500 years from now. If we warm the Arctic (and Antarctic) more than it warmed 129,000 years ago, then the rate of ice sheet retreat and sea level rise could be even greater."

Though many experts say there are still skepticism about timing, extent and causes of such trauma, but it is believed that the world may have as little as a decade to take the steps to avoid this scenario.