Climate experts are raising alarms as substantial portions of Greenland’s melting ice sheet give way to flourishing vegetation, posing heightened risks of increased greenhouse gas emissions, rising sea levels, and landscape instability.
A comprehensive study, tracking changes since the 1980s, reveals the transformation of vast ice-covered regions into barren rock, wetlands, and shrub growth, fundamentally altering Greenland’s environment. Satellite records show that approximately 11,000 sq miles of the ice sheet and glaciers have melted over the past three decades, equivalent to the size of Albania and constituting 1.6% of the total ice cover.
As the ice recedes, areas with growing vegetation have expanded by 33,774 sq miles, more than double the initial coverage when the study commenced. The surge in wetlands, a significant source of methane emissions, has nearly quadrupled across Greenland, with notable increases in vegetation observed in regions like Kangerlussuaq in the south-west and isolated areas in the north-east.
Scientists attribute these changes to rising air temperatures, causing accelerated ice retreat. Since the 1970s, the region has warmed at twice the global average rate. Annual air temperatures in Greenland were 3°C warmer between 2007 and 2012 compared to the average between 1979 and 2000.
The study indicates that the expanded vegetation may contribute to further ice loss. Jonathan Carrivick, an Earth scientist at the University of Leeds and a co-author of the study, emphasizes the interconnected reactions triggered by ice loss, resulting in continued “greening” as exposed rock is colonized by tundra and shrub.
Lead author Dr. Michael Grimes notes that the vegetation expansion, concurrent with glacier and ice sheet retreat, significantly alters sediment and nutrient flow into coastal waters. These changes are particularly impactful for Indigenous populations relying on stable ecosystems for traditional subsistence practices. Additionally, the loss of ice mass in Greenland contributes significantly to global sea level rise, posing challenges now and in the future.
Using their findings, researchers have developed a model to predict areas in Greenland likely to experience “marked and accelerated” changes, providing critical insights for ongoing monitoring efforts. The study underscores the urgent need for addressing climate-related transformations in the Arctic and their far-reaching consequences.
