Between 1997 and 2021, a striking 43 percent of Antarctica’s 162 ice shelves have diminished in size, releasing about 7.5 trillion tonnes of meltwater into the world’s oceans. This finding comes from researchers affiliated with the University of Leeds, published in a peer-reviewed science journal. (Source: University of Leeds)
Using more than 100,000 satellite radar images, scientists observed that nearly every glacier on Antarctica’s western flank has fallen back, with some losing as much as 30 percent of their original volume. (Source: University of Leeds)
Among the most dramatic losses was the Goeetz Ice Shelf, which shed roughly 1.9 trillion tonnes of ice over a 25-year span. Only a small fraction of this loss – about 5 percent – results from calving, where large chunks break off and plunge into the sea. The vast majority simply melted away into water. (Source: University of Leeds)
The Pine Island Ice Shelf shows a loss of around 1.3 trillion tonnes, with roughly a third of that total caused by spillage. The rest disappeared through melting. (Source: University of Leeds)
Experts note a mixed picture of ice-shelf retreat, driven by ocean temperatures and currents around the continent. Warmer waters encroach on the western side of Antarctica, while cold coastal currents help protect much of East Antarctica from immediate melting. (Source: University of Leeds)
Scientists agree that human-caused climate warming likely plays a major role in these ice-loss patterns. If natural variability were the sole driver, some regional signs of glacier recovery might be expected in parts of the western region over time. (Source: University of Leeds)
Researchers point out that the ice-shelf response is not uniform. Instead of cycles of sharp, short-term contraction followed by regrowth, nearly half of the shelves studied shrank without any clear signs of renewal. This departure from prior expectations underscores the ongoing sensitivity of the Antarctic system to changing oceanic and atmospheric conditions. (Source: University of Leeds)
Earlier studies have documented notable shifts in sea ice extent around Antarctica, a trend consistent with broader changes in the regional climate system. (Source: University of Leeds)