A recent post on lifeinsouthtyrol Instagram account asked followers if they thought glacier melt was due to global warming or a ‘cyclic phase’. Scientists for Future check the facts.
In recent discussions on climate change, it is crucial to ground our assertions in scientific evidence. Posts such as those by lifeinsouthtyrol are dangerous because they undermine scientific consensus and scientific results, which are the foundation of climate policy. It is an open invitation for the posting of misinformation. It was a cheap way to get some interactions on their IG account.
Our blog post gives a quick overview of the scientific consensus surrounding this issue, drawing on research from reputable sources.
The Dominant Role of Anthropogenic Climate Change:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been at the forefront of synthesizing global climate knowledge, involving thousands of highly-regarded scientists in the writing of their reports. According to their Sixth Assessment Report, human activities, particularly the exponential increase in greenhouse gas emissions, emerge as the dominant cause of observed global warming since the mid-20th century [1]. Importantly, this warming is intricately linked to the accelerated retreat of glaciers and ice caps.
A 2019 study, prominently featured in the journal Nature, further solidifies this perspective. Led by scientists from the Universities of Zurich and Bremen, the research harnessed satellite data to reveal a significant increase in glacier melt since the early 2000s, aligning precisely with the surge in global temperatures attributable to greenhouse gas emissions. This temporal correlation underscores the human influence on the observed changes in glacial systems.
Contrary to claims that glacier melt may be part of a natural climate cycle, the scientific literature overwhelmingly supports the view that current trends are distinctly unnatural. Natural processes alone cannot account for the rapidity and intensity of the observed glacier retreat. Instead, it is the perturbations induced by human activities, that is, the emission of greenhouse gases, that drive the accelerated warming and subsequent glacial responses witnessed in recent decades.
Additional References:
For those interested in delving into specific glacier-related data, a notable paper titled “Accelerated global glacier melt over the last 20 years” provides valuable insights [3].
Moreover, a comprehensive resource for exploring climate change information is the NASA Climate Change Portal (https://climate.nasa.gov/). This portal offers a wealth of information, including figures and animations that effectively communicate the link between human activity and climate warming. Specific pages, such as those on evidence (https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/) and causes (https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/), offer insightful visuals and explanations.
Conclusion:
There is scientific consensus that glacier melt is increased due to anthropogenic climate change.
References:
- Fox-Kemper, B., H.T. Hewitt, C. Xiao, G. Aðalgeirsdóttir, S.S. Drijfhout, T.L. Edwards, N.R. Golledge, M. Hemer, R.E. Kopp, G. Krinner, A. Mix, D. Notz, S. Nowicki, I.S. Nurhati, L. Ruiz, J.-B. Sallée, A.B.A. Slangen, and Y. Yu, 2021: Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1211–1362, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.011
- Zemp, M., Huss, M., Thibert, E., et al. (2019). Global glacier mass changes and their contributions to sea-level rise from 1961 to 2016. Nature, 568(7752), 382-386. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1071-0.
- Hugonnet, R., McNabb, R., Berthier, E. et al. Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century. Nature 592, 726–731 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03436-z