Data published in a report in the journal Nature Geoscience this month reveals that the previously stable East Antarctic ice sheet may be losing mass.  Whilst scientists apply a collection of caveats to the news, including uncertainties around whether it is attributable to climate change, there is a level of surprise around the findings and their potential impact is colossal.

Where the complete melting of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets could raise sea levels by 6 to 7 metres, the East Antarctic could eclipse this with enough water to cause a potential sea-level rise of 50-60 metres.

The discovery comes from Nasa’s gravity-measuring twin satellites working on their Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment mission.  The data finds major loss since 2006, in the region of 57 billion tonnes of ice loss a year.  This change is all the more significant given no net ice loss in the 4 preceding years.

The change is likely driven by coastal areas being lubricated by lakes of water under the ice sheet and advancing their progress towards the sea.  Where sea temperatures and weather patterns change with global warming, the potential for East Antarctic chain reaction impact is vast.

This is just another example of what is at stake in the fight against climate change.  Action must be taken at the local level in order to have a global impact.  The risks of inaction far outweigh the cost of action and we cannot afford to wait for governing legislation; as individuals and organisations we need to take every step possible to avert climate change while an international global accord is reached.  Every measure taken now to help bail the boat will have a genuine and global benefit, especially where this avoids the potential chain reaction consequence presented by the East Antarctic ice sheet.

Data from Environment Report by Richard Black, Environment Correspondent, BBC News