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A study published in the journal Scientific Data indicates that Greenland and Antarctica lost 11.3 trillion metric tons of ice over 47 years. This loss has raised sea levels by more than 3 centimeters, with 84% of it coming from glaciers advancing more rapidly towards the ocean.
Greenland and Antarctica have lost approximately 12.5 trillion tons of ice, or 11.3 trillion metric tons, since the 1970s. The melting has been measured by satellites and has already raised global sea levels by more than 3 centimeters.
These figures come from a study published in the scientific journal Scientific Data and were announced on September 16, 2026, by People magazine, based on a statement from Northumbria University in the UK.
Ice loss totals 47 years of satellite measurements
image: Professor Andrew Shepherd
The survey covers the last 47 years, starting from the 1970s, and compiles data from satellites monitoring the two polar ice sheets.
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During this period, the total ice lost from Greenland and Antarctica reached 12.5 trillion tons, equivalent to 11.3 trillion metric tons.
Greenland accounts for approximately 1.8 centimeters of sea level rise
image: Dr. Sammie Buzzard
All this melted ice has raised global sea levels by more than 3 centimeters. Greenland accounts for a slightly larger share, at approximately 1.8 centimeters.
Together, the two polar ice sheets account for about a quarter of all global sea level rise, according to the study.
84% of the ice lost was discharged by faster glaciers
The point that caught scientists’ attention the most was not the melting at the surface. According to a statement from Northumbria University, 84% of the ice loss comes from the faster advance of glaciers toward the ocean.
In other words, most of the ice did not melt at the top of the ice sheets: it flowed into the sea, pushed by glaciers that have started to move more quickly.
“Polar ice sheets are melting rapidly,” says Eric Rignot
Eric Rignot, an ice scientist from the University of California, Irvine, and co-author of the study, summarized the situation to the Associated Press. “The polar ice sheets are melting rapidly,” he stated.
He also pointed out the impact on coastal cities. “We are melting the polar regions, sea level is rising worldwide, and this will worsen the vulnerability of coastal areas,” he said.
Study combined 42 surveys and 27 satellite missions
The work was conducted by the international team of polar scientists from the IMBIE (Ice Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise), with support from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The researchers used initial data from Landsat, the longest-running satellite imagery program, and combined 42 independent surveys from 27 satellite missions.
Data from the 1970s allows for a view of half a century of changes
Dr. Inès Otosaka from Northumbria University led the study and explained the historical dataset’s reach. “By analyzing data from the 1970s, we can now observe how the ice layers have changed over half a century,” she said.
This timeframe allows for the separation of short-term variations from long-term trends in both polar ice sheets.
Trend driven by response to ocean warming
For Otosaka, the data showing 84% highlights the mechanism driving the loss. “More than four-fifths of the ice lost has been discharged into the ocean by faster-flowing glaciers, rather than melting at the surface,” she stated.
According to the researcher, this indicates that the long-term trend is being driven by the dynamic response of the ice layers to ocean warming.
Greenland jumped from 66 billion to 291 billion tons per year
Ice loss increased sharply starting in the 1990s. In Greenland, the pace changed dramatically in just a few decades.
In the 1980s, the island was losing about 66 billion tons per year. By the 2010s, this volume surged to approximately 291 billion tons annually.
Antarctica increased from 53 billion to over 222 billion tons
In the same time frame, Antarctica followed a similar trend. Its annual loss increased from about 53 billion tons to over 222 billion tons.
The two curves indicate that the problem is not concentrated in a single ice sheet, but is progressing at both ends of the planet.
Loss slowed between 2020 and 2023, but without reversing the trend
The most recent years analyzed, from 2020 to 2023, saw a slowdown in ice loss. According to the statement, this is largely due to record snowfall in East Antarctica and milder summers in Greenland.
However, scientists assess that these figures represent short-term fluctuations, not a reversal of the trend of ice loss recorded since the 1970s.
Scientists Warn of Coastal Flooding and Erosion
The team emphasized the importance of this type of study to protect populations from risks such as coastal flooding and erosion, should sea levels continue to rise.
“With predictions that polar ice sheets will lose much more ice in the coming decades, global assessments like IMBIE are vital for protecting communities affected by climate change,” said Professor Andrew Shepherd, lead co-author and founder of IMBIE.
Satellites Help Reduce Uncertainty About Future Sea Levels
Dr. Tyler Sutterley, co-leader of IMBIE, highlighted the role of satellite imagery in monitoring polar ice sheets.
“Satellites provide us with annual, continent-wide evidence of what is happening now, and that is exactly what we need to test models and reduce uncertainties in future sea level rise projections,” he stated.
In your view, should data such as the 11.3 trillion tons of ice lost over 47 years change investment priorities in coastal cities in Brazil? Share your thoughts in the comments.
