Latest news with #JonathanBamber
Gizmodo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Rising Seas Could Displace Millions, Triggering Global Migration Crisis, Study Warns
Scientists issue a dire warning that even the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming target is too high and will have catastrophic consequences for coastal populations. Sea level rise will force millions of people to flee coastal regions, even at just 1.5 degrees Celsius of global heating, according to a new study. The authors of the study warn that even current warming levels could lead to multiple feet of sea level rise by the end of the century, posing dire consequences for coast-dwellers. The study, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, suggests that even at 1.2 degrees C above the pre-industrial average—our current average level of warming—could lead to catastrophic sea level rise and mass migration. If current trends persist, 'You're going to see massive land migration on scales that we've never witnessed since modern civilization,' Jonathan Bamber, study co-author and glaciologist at the University of Bristol, told CNN. Seas will rise due to the rapid loss of ice sheets from Greenland and Antarctica, which has quadrupled since the 1990s and is now the biggest source of sea level rise. In the study, a team of scientists from the U.K. and the U.S. used evidence from warm periods up to 3 million years ago, recent trends in ice loss, and climate models to predict future ice sheet change under several climate scenarios. Looking back, they found that about 15,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, the rate of sea level rise was 10-fold greater than it is today. The last time carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were as high as today, about 3 million years ago, the sea level was 33 to 66 feet (10 to 20 meters) above where it is now. Multiple meters of sea level rise are in our future even if we rapidly and drastically cut back on fossil fuels to hit the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 degrees C of warming above the pre-industrial average, the authors found. That target, which was thought to be the best way to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, has almost slipped away. Alarmingly, the new study finds that 1.2 degrees C would generate several meters of sea level rise. The safe limit, the authors found, is likely below 1 degree C. The researchers said that more research is needed to determine the actual tipping point. We're currently on track for up to 2.9 degrees Celsius of global heating, at which point it's pretty much a certainty that ice sheets in Greenland and west Antarctica will completely collapse. The melting of those ice sheets would cause 40 feet (12 meters) of sea level rise. Currently, one billion people live within 32 feet of sea level and around 230 million people live within 3 feet of sea level. 'People need to be aware that sea level rise is likely to accelerate to rates that are very difficult to adapt to—rates of one centimeter per year are not out of the question within the lifetime of our young people,' Chris Stokes, a climate scientist at Durham University and lead author of the study, said in a statement. The average global temperature hit 1.5 degrees C for the first time last year, although it hasn't quite hit the 1.5 degrees C average yet. There's still time to do something about all of this, though. The authors urge immediate, urgent climate action to slow the worst impacts of sea level rise—every inch counts. 'We are not necessarily saying that all is lost at 1.5 degrees C, but we are saying that every fraction of a degree really matters for the ice sheets—and the sooner we can halt the warming the better, because this makes it far easier to return to safer levels further down the line,' Stokes said in a statement.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Earth's 'catastrophic' ice melt problem is worse than previously thought, study says
Huge expanses of ice are melting alarmingly fast, raising new concerns about "catastrophic consequences for humanity," a study published May 20 says. The study focuses on two masses of ice currently sitting on land: The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. As temperatures rise, that ice is melting, flowing into the ocean and making sea levels rise. While change in sea level rise is often measured in centimeters or inches, the ice melt potential of these sheets could raise sea levels dozens of feet. It's happening even faster than expected, authors warn in the study published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. 'Recent satellite-based observations of ice sheet mass loss have been a huge wake-up call for the whole scientific and policy community working on sea-level rise and its impacts," said study co-author Jonathan Bamber, of the University of Bristol in the UK. An ice sheet is a mass of glacial land ice extending more than 20,000 square miles. Ice sheets once covered much of the Northern Hemisphere during the ice age. Now, Earth has just two ice sheets: one covers most of Greenland, the largest island in the world, and the other spans across the Antarctic continent, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Together, the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets contain more than 99% of the land ice and over 68% of the fresh water on Earth. Ice loss in Greenland and Antarctica is already influencing ocean waters and causing sea levels around the globe to rise, the NSIDC said. If global greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current rate, Earth's ice sheets are vulnerable to even more massive rapid ice loss that could substantially raise sea levels. According to the new study, the mass of ice lost from these ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s and they are currently losing around 370 billion metric tons of ice per year. Even if the Earth returns to its preindustrial temperature, it will still take hundreds to perhaps thousands of years for the ice sheets to recover. If too much ice is lost, parts of these ice sheets may not recover until the Earth enters the next ice age, the study suggests. Study co-author Rob DeConto, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said, "In other words, land lost to sea level rise from melting ice sheets will be lost for a very, very long time. That's why it is so critical to limit warming in the first place.' The research suggests global leaders should aim for 1 degree C of warming (as compared to the Earth's temperature over a century ago) to avoid significant losses from the ice sheets and prevent a further acceleration in sea-level rise. That's a lofty goal, considering the 1.5 degree C threshold has long been discussed as a difficult but achievable goal. (Hope has been fleeting about that goal as last year crossed that threshold). 'There is a growing body of evidence that 1.5 degrees is too high for the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica," study lead author Chris Stokes, from the Department of Geography at Durham University in the UK, said in a statement. "We've known for a long time that some sea-level rise is inevitable over the next few decades to centuries, but recent observations of ice sheet loss are alarming, even under current climate conditions." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet melt worse than previously feared
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Earth's 'catastrophic' ice melt problem is worse than previously thought, study says
Earth's 'catastrophic' ice melt problem is worse than previously thought, study says The world's two gigantic ice sheets are in greater peril from global warming than previously thought, a study published May 20 says. Show Caption Hide Caption How President Trump impacted climate change policy so far Since taking office, President Trump has abandoned efforts to reduce global warming. It could 'take a generation or more to repair the damage." Huge expanses of ice are melting alarmingly fast, raising new concerns about "catastrophic consequences for humanity," a study published May 20 says. The study focuses on two masses of ice currently sitting on land: The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. As temperatures rise, that ice is melting, flowing into the ocean and making sea levels rise. While change in sea level rise is often measured in centimeters or inches, the ice melt potential of these sheets could raise sea levels dozens of feet. It's happening even faster than expected, authors warn in the study published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. 'Recent satellite-based observations of ice sheet mass loss have been a huge wake-up call for the whole scientific and policy community working on sea-level rise and its impacts," said study co-author Jonathan Bamber, of the University of Bristol in the UK. What is an ice sheet? An ice sheet is a mass of glacial land ice extending more than 20,000 square miles. Ice sheets once covered much of the Northern Hemisphere during the ice age. Now, Earth has just two ice sheets: one covers most of Greenland, the largest island in the world, and the other spans across the Antarctic continent, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Together, the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets contain more than 99% of the land ice and over 68% of the fresh water on Earth. Sea levels are rising Ice loss in Greenland and Antarctica is already influencing ocean waters and causing sea levels around the globe to rise, the NSIDC said. If global greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current rate, Earth's ice sheets are vulnerable to even more massive rapid ice loss that could substantially raise sea levels. According to the new study, the mass of ice lost from these ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s and they are currently losing around 370 billion metric tons of ice per year. Recovery could take thousands of years Even if the Earth returns to its preindustrial temperature, it will still take hundreds to perhaps thousands of years for the ice sheets to recover. If too much ice is lost, parts of these ice sheets may not recover until the Earth enters the next ice age, the study suggests. Study co-author Rob DeConto, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said, "In other words, land lost to sea level rise from melting ice sheets will be lost for a very, very long time. That's why it is so critical to limit warming in the first place.' How hot is too hot? The research suggests global leaders should aim for 1 degree C of warming (as compared to the Earth's temperature over a century ago) to avoid significant losses from the ice sheets and prevent a further acceleration in sea-level rise. That's a lofty goal, considering the 1.5 degree C threshold has long been discussed as a difficult but achievable goal. (Hope has been fleeting about that goal as last year crossed that threshold). 'There is a growing body of evidence that 1.5 degrees is too high for the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica," study lead author Chris Stokes, from the Department of Geography at Durham University in the UK, said in a statement. "We've known for a long time that some sea-level rise is inevitable over the next few decades to centuries, but recent observations of ice sheet loss are alarming, even under current climate conditions."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Heysel disaster memorial revealed for Anfield
Plans for a new memorial at Anfield to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heysel football stadium disaster have been revealed. Thirty-nine people died before the 1985 European Cup Final in Brussels after a group of Liverpool fans at Heysel Stadium charged towards a section housing mostly Juventus supporters, resulting in the collapse of a wall. The new memorial, the location of which has not yet been announced, will replace a memorial plaque in the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand. "The Heysel disaster is a significant chapter in our history, and one which we must never forget," said Liverpool's chief legal and external affairs officer Jonathan Bamber. "It's important that we honour those who lost their lives with a memorial that reflects the depth of our respect and remembrance," added Mr Bamber. The disaster on 29 May 1985 resulted in all English clubs being banned from European competitions for five years. In addition to the 39 fans who died, 600 were injured when the wall collapsed on them. Blame for what happened was initially laid entirely on Liverpool fans, and 14 were later found guilty of manslaughter and jailed. An investigation did concede that some culpability lay with the Belgian authorities, and the crumbling state of Heysel Stadium. Former Liverpool star and now club ambassador Ian Rush played in the game and witnessed the tragedy which preceded it. He said it was "incredibly important to have a fitting tribute to remember the 39 fans who lost their lives. "We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later." Liverpool said the new memorial will feature two scarves knotted together to symbolise "the unity and solidarity between the two clubs and the bond formed through shared grief and mutual respect in the aftermath of the disaster". It will also include the names of the disaster's victims. Further details of the new location and the official unveiling event at Anfield "will be released in due course," the club said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Remembering the Heysel disaster Liverpool FC
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘It's incredibly important' – Liverpool reveal plans for new Heysel memorial
The new memorial, titled 'Forever Bound', will replace the existing plaque currently situated on the wall of the Kenny Dalglish Stand and move to a new location at the home of the Premier League champions. Featuring two scarves knotted together and gently tied – symbolising the unity and solidarity between Liverpool and Juventus in the aftermath of the disaster – the memorial also includes an inscription alongside the names of the 39 supporters who died at the European Cup final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels. Ian Rush, who played for both clubs and was in the Liverpool side on that fateful night on May 29, 1985, said: "To see a new memorial created with such care means a lot and it's incredibly important to have a fitting tribute to remember the 39 fans who lost their lives. "We must never forget why this matters, and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later." Jonathan Bamber, Liverpool's chief legal and external affairs officer and executive sponsor of Forever Reds, said: "The Heysel disaster is a significant chapter in our history, and one which we must never forget. "It's important that we honour those who lost their lives with a memorial that reflects the depth of our respect and remembrance." Liverpool chief executive officer Billy Hogan and club ambassador Rush will attend the unveiling of Juventus' new Heysel memorial, 'Verso Altrove', in Turin as part of the 40th anniversary commemorations. 'Verso Altrove' will be unveiled on the 40th anniversary of the disaster on May 29. Liverpool have said, out of respect of that, 'Forever Bound' will be officially unveiled later in the summer at a location to be agreed following consultation with key stakeholders.
