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‡ There has been a significant decline in the mountain glaciers and

snow cover, which has contributed to the increased sea levels

‡ From 1961 to 2003, the global mean sea level rose by 1.8 (+0.5)
mm per year

‡ The global temperature of the oceans increased by 0.10oC from

surface to depth of 700m from 1961- 2003 and 80% of the heat
added to the climate system is being absorbed by the ocean

‡ Other long term climatic changes that have been observed include
extreme droughts, intensity of tropical cyclones, changes in the
salinity of the ocean and wind patterns
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‡ According to NASA scientists, the Greenland ice sheet is

melting faster than it is being replaced, contributing to
sea level rise
‡ The loss of ice from Greenland doubled between 1996
and 2005
‡ From 1996 to 2000, the largest acceleration and mass
loss came from southeast Greenland
‡ From 2000 to 2005, the trend extended to include central
east and west Greenland
‡ It is estimated that 69 per cent of the ice-mass loss in
recent years came from eastern Greenland
2

‡ Between 2003 and 2005 the low coastal areas of Greenland lost 155
gigatons of ice per year due to excess melting while the high
elevation interior gained 54 gigatons annually from excess snowfall

‡ Between 2004 and 2006, the rate of melting accelerated, with the
massive ice sheet melting two and one-half times faster than the
previous two-year period

‡ Greenland lost roughly 164 cubic miles of ice from April 2004 to April
2006²more than the volume of the North American Great Lake Erie



Šramatic ice
mass losses
concentrated
in the low-
elevation
coastal
regions, with
nearly half of
the loss
coming from
southeast
Greenland

NASA Earth Observatory





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NASA Earth Observatory




Vniversity of Colorado, CIRES

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2001-2003:
A significant
increase in the
melting area
has been
observed
along the edge
of the ice cap
in Greenland.

NASA Earth Observatory

 
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Ice loses in Greenland range

from 5 to 25 centimeters of
water equivalent per year
NASA Earth Observatory
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The ice shelf

disintegrated
suddenly in
March 2002
due to warm
summer
temperatures

NASA Earth Observatory

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‡ An iceberg (B-15J) of
size of a small Vnited
States state cracked
off the Antarctica¶s
Ross Ice Shelf in
March 2000

‡ On February 1, 2007,
three new icebergs
were formed due to
the break up of the
original iceberg

NASA Earth Observatory

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‡ 1986: Images show

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‡ 2001: Between 1984

and 1999, 38 per cent
of forests were
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10 Aug 2002

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‡ 2001: Between 1984

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‡ 1986: Images show

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‡ 1986: Images show

Šegradation of forest
area

‡ 2001: Between 1984

and 1999, 38 per cent
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‡ 1986: Images show

Šegradation of forest
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‡ 2001: Between 1984

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This declineImages
1987-2002: is
attributed to increased
show a gradual
air temperature
decrease of the and
glacial
decreased
area, especially on the
accumulation
peaks and
convective cloud
activity
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Africa¶s highest mountain

with a forest belt having
rich diversity of
ecosystems

‡ 1976: Glaciers covered

most of the summit

‡ 2000: The glaciers had

receded alarmingly
 

‡ Gangotri glacier
has retreated
more than 850
metres, in the
last 25 years

‡ It has retreated
more than 76
metres from
1996 to 1999

NASA Earth Observatory

 
6
6
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Glacial Lakes in the Bhutan-Himalaya Region ‡ Glacial lakes are formed due
to the melting of ice and snow
from glaciers

‡ Šue to the faster rate of

melting from the glaciers,
possibly due to global
warming, water is
accumulating at an increasing
rate in these lakes

‡ Sudden outburst results in

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood
(GLOF) downstream causing
destruction of life and property
Jeffrey Kargel, VSGS/NASA JPL/AGV
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 |



VNEP Atlas of Our Changing Environment

6AB
Free Šownload:
www.na.unep.net