Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
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A University of Bristol study reveals that 91% of glaciers in Svalbard have shrunk since 1985, losing over 800 square kilometers due to climate change.
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Researchers used AI-powered analysis to examine millions of satellite images, uncovering detailed patterns of glacier retreat over nearly four decades.
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About 62% of Svalbard’s glaciers experience seasonal cycles of calving, driven by rising ocean and air temperatures, according to the study.
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The largest glacier retreats were recorded in 2016, coinciding with extreme warming events caused by atmospheric blocking, researchers found.
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Svalbard is warming seven times faster than the global average, making its glaciers highly sensitive to ongoing climate change.
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Dr. Tian Li, lead author, linked glacier retreats to atmospheric blocking, a weather pattern that accelerates warming and glacier loss.
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The retreating glaciers alter ocean circulation and marine life environments in the Arctic, with potential global implications.
Co-author Jonathan Bamber emphasized that glacier calving, a poorly understood process, could accelerate as warming intensifies.
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The study underscores the urgency of addressing climate change, as Svalbard's rapid warming represents a grim warning for global ice systems.
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