Scientists began the year with an expedition to Antarctica to study Thwaites Glacier, which is melting quickly. If it fully breaks apart, it could raise global sea levels by two feet over several decades, impacting millions of people worldwide.
Maps show some coastal cities at risk, especially areas that could be affected if the glacier collapses soon. This melting will increase sea levels further as global warming continues to affect ice melting in Greenland and expands ocean water.
Thwaites Glacier currently acts as a barrier, keeping other glaciers in Antarctica from entering the sea. If it collapses, those glaciers might follow, worsening sea level rise. Richard Alley, a geosciences professor, warns that this could lead to significant impacts on all of West Antarctica.
Cities, especially in Asia, are at the highest risk. Many of the world’s biggest urban areas are near coastlines. For example, Shanghai has over 600,000 residents already living below sea level. A rise of two feet could expose an additional 4.7 million people.
Protecting these cities from flooding and storm surges would be very costly. In New York City, a proposal for coastal protection could exceed $52 billion. In contrast, cities like Dhaka may struggle to prepare as they grow rapidly yet lack sufficient resources for protection.
Test Your Understanding
How much do you know?
