Concerns Rise as Greenland Loses Ice Equivalent to 36 New Yorks in 30 Years

Scientists are worried about the rapid decline of Greenland's ice cover and its gradual greening. A study published in the journal Nature notes that over the past three decades, the area of the island's ice cover has decreased by 28 thousand square kilometres, which is almost 36 times the size of New York.

This conclusion was reached by scientists analysing satellite images. According to them, not only has the ice cover significantly decreased on the planet's largest island, but the amount of vegetation has also almost doubled, and the amount of freshwater and marshes has increased fourfold. All of this could have serious consequences for the environment.

Scientists point out that the rise in air temperature leads to ice melting, which in turn raises land temperatures and contributes to the thawing of permafrost - the frozen layer beneath the Earth's surface. During thawing, carbon dioxide and methane are released, contributing to global warming.

"We've seen signs that ice loss triggers other reactions that will lead to further ice loss and 'greening' of Greenland. Melting ice exposes rocks, which are then colonized by tundra and shrubs," said one of the study's authors, Jonathan Carrivick.

Water flowing from melting glaciers displaces various deposits in the soil and mud, ultimately forming wetlands and marshes. Thawing permafrost also leads to soil instability. Eventually, ice melting increases the amount of water in lakes, threatening floods. And the increase in vegetation alters the flow of nutrient-rich sediment into coastal waters. This poses a threat to local ecosystems that have formed on the island's coasts, as well as to coastal waters.

Moreover, snow and ice reflect solar rays, preventing excessive warming of certain parts of the Earth. When the ice disappears, these areas absorb more solar energy, raising the surface temperature of the Earth. It creates a vicious cycle where the rise in air temperature leads to ice melting, further increasing temperatures.

"These changes are critical, especially for indigenous populations, whose traditional hunting practices rely on the stability of these delicate ecosystems. Additionally, the loss of ice mass in Greenland is a significant factor in rising global sea levels," says lead author of the study, Michael Grimes.

In the future, the island faces even more extreme temperatures than those it already suffers from.