Greenland just lost ONE TRILLION tonnes of ice

Greenland loses one trillion metric tons of ice.

Greenland is melting faster than expected, as new data reveals. The ESA's Cryosat satellite has revealed Greenland lost over a trillion tonnes of ice between 2011 and 2014.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Greenland has lost over a trillion metric tons (tonnes) of ice between 2011 and 2014. The losses are continuing as the landmass warms.

The losses are faster than scientists expected, but correspond to an annual .75 mm rise in sea level. That's .75 mm each year, twice the rate of the previous two decades.

Seal level rise has sharply increased since 2012. At the current rate, sea level is rising by 2.5 mm per year and the trend remains upward.

Ice loss in Greenland is important because the ice is on land. When it melts, it runs into the ocean and contributes to sea level rise. This is distinct from sea ice, which does not raise sea level when it melts.

Sea level rise is a major threat to human settlements. Several low lying Pacific atolls are on the verge of abandonment. Within a few decades or less, coastal cities will be seriously threatened by sea level rise. Massive sea walls will have to be built around the world. And storm surges and other extreme events will be exacerbated by the higher sea level.

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