Climate Change Indicators: Arctic Glaciers

This indicator shows the cumulative change in the mass balance of Arctic glaciers.

Figure 1. Cumulative Mass Balance of Eight Arctic Glaciers, 1945–2020

Cumulative Mass Balance of Eight Arctic Glaciers, 1945–2020

This figure shows the cumulative change in the mass balance of eight glaciers located at 66°N or higher, with dates beginning in 1945. Each time series was adjusted to make 1970 the common zero point because it was the first year for which data on the mass balance of all eight glaciers were available.

Negative values ​​indicate a net loss of ice and snow compared to the base year of 1970. For consistency, measurements are in meters of water equivalent, which reflects glacier mass loss by representing changes in average glacier thickness.

Year Meighen White Austre Midtre Devon Melville Storglaciaeren Engabreen Average
1945 11.14 9.25
1946 9.26 7.37
1947 8.97 7.08
1948 9.56 7.67
1949 8.81 6.92
1950 8.04 6.15
1951 8.08 6.19
1952 7.56 5.67
1953 6.63 4.74
1954 6.27 4.38
1955 5.97 4.08
1956 5.63 3.74
1957 5.25 3.36
1958 1.58 1.23 4.48 2.59
1959 0.83 0.83 0.8 2.87 1.66
1960 0.72 0.85 0.6 2.08 1.39
1961 -0.25 0.06 0.24 0.01 2.51 0.97
1962 -0.45 -0.09 0.28 -0.11 2.31 0.85
1963 -0.09 0.26 0.41 0.18 2.74 1.16
1964 -0.03 0.25 0.47 0.25 3.24 1.29
1965 -0.1 0.22 2.22 0.34 0.09 2.69 1.11
1966 -0.15 0.34 1.57 1.4 0.31 0.22 2.51 1
1967 -0.1 -0.07 1.47 1.37 0.14 0.25 2.27 0.87
1968 0.01 0 0.54 0.53 -0.04 0.27 1.37 1.27 0.49
1969 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1970 -0.42 -0.18 -0.58 -0.46 -0.07 -0.49 -0.19 0.74 -0.21
1971 -0.39 -0.06 -0.89 -0.68 0.03 -0.88 -1.24 0.17 -0.49
1972 -0.36 0.13 -0.97 -0.7 -0.06 -1.27 -1.19 2.1 -0.29
1973 -0.39 0.08 -1.89 -1.59 -0.14 -1.53 -1.53 2.56 -0.55
1974 -0.31 0.33 -2.2 -1.8 -0.21 -1.6 -0.36 3.55 -0.32
1975 -0.23 0.45 -2.65 -2.15 -0.03 -1.68 -0.09 5.35 -0.13
1976 -0.47 0.08 -2.76 -2.19 -0.13 -1.75 0.11 5.68 -0.18
1977 -0.56 -0.05 -3.32 -2.67 -0.1 -1.82 0.03 4.42 -0.51
1978 -0.57 -0.14 -4.03 -3.33 -0.07 -1.89 -0.18 4.23 -0.75
1979 -0.57 -4.55 -3.76 -0.12 -1.97 -1.45 3.3 -1.22
1980 -0.74 -5.1 -4.22 -0.27 -2.16 -1.64 3.33 -1.45
1981 -0.58 -5.14 -4.2 -0.36 -2.47 -1.38 3.74 -1.4
1982 -0.83 -0.22 -5.41 -4.37 -0.26 -2.55 -1.1 4.19 -1.4
1983 -0.6 -0.26 -6.14 -5.05 -0.29 -2.51 -0.98 4.99 -1.44
1984 -0.63 -0.26 -6.69 -5.53 -0.4 -2.62 -1.7 3.37 -1.89
1985 -0.38 -0.5 -7.01 -5.74 -0.21 -2.41 -1.76 3.15 -1.94
1986 -0.56 -1.1 -6.79 -5.5 -0.17 -2.4 -1.28 3.59 -1.86
1987 -0.85 -0.96 -7.31 -5.99 -0.39 -3.03 -2.12 1.85 -2.43
1988 -0.56 -0.92 -7.76 -6.23 -0.45 -3.37 -0.88 3.99 -2.1
1989 -0.77 -1.35 -8.42 -6.74 -0.62 -3.63 -0.29 4.28 -2.27
1990 -0.99 -1.51 -8.29 -6.64 -0.85 -3.43 -0.12 4.57 -2.24
1991 -0.98 -1.78 -8.39 -6.78 -0.75 -3.75 0.76 5.91 -2.05
1992 -1.57 -2.21 -9.42 -7.66 -0.82 -4.5 1.76 6.61 -2.31
1993 -1.77 -2.48 -9.58 -7.78 -0.85 -4.61 1.39 6.57 -2.47
1994 -1.71 -2.83 -10.36 -8.57 -1 -5.08 2.09 7.78 -2.54
1995 -1.52 -2.78 -10.53 -8.55 -1.08 -5.29 1.7 8.08 -2.58
1996 -1.58 -2.82 -11.24 -8.98 -1.09 -5.28 1.07 8.59 -2.75
1997 -1.68 -3.02 -12.1 -9.57 -1.36 -6.06 0.55 8.22 -3.21
1998 -2.03 -3.49 -12.46 -9.84 -1.58 -6.58 0.37 7.62 -3.58
1999 -2.52 -3.89 -12.48 -9.87 -1.9 -7.32 0.95 8.23 -3.68
2000 -2.51 -4.04 -12.96 -10.2 -2.46 -7.58 0.25 6.64 -4.19
2001 -2.43 -4.01 -13.52 -10.73 -2.48 -7.57 -0.58 5.61 -4.54
2002 -2.96 -4.12 -14.42 -11.51 -2.62 -7.55 -1.62 4.52 -5.12
2003 -2.68 -4.08 -15.56 -12.49 -2.57 -7.26 -1.74 4.7 -5.29
2004 -3.06 -4.69 -16.55 -13.23 -2.84 -7.45 -1.81 5.19 -5.64
2005 -3.07 -4.79 -17.27 -13.71 -3.08 -7.81 -3.53 3.35 -6.32
2006 -3.59 -5.6 -17.73 -13.96 -3.37 -8.99 -3.12 4.02 -6.62
2007 -4.29 -6.41 -17.85 -13.97 -3.95 -9.89 -2.54 3.89 -6.96
2008 -4.97 -7 -18.1 -14.11 -4.47 -10.24 -3.07 3.82 -7.35
2009 -5.35 -7.19 -18.54 -14.31 -4.89 -11.18 -3.76 3.07 -7.85
2010 -6.66 -8.18 -19.55 -15.23 -5.57 -12.52 -4.82 2.1 -8.89
2011 -7.78 -9.13 -19.72 -15.49 -6.08 -14.08 -4.14 3.17 -9.24
2012 -7.62 -9.08 -20.77 -16.43 -6.05 -14.25 -5.55 1.31 -9.89
2013 -7.56 -9.5 -20.76 -16.4 -6.3 -14.41 -6.44 0.42 -10.2
2014 -8.46 -10.19 -21.37 -16.85 -6.69 -15.56 -5.8 1.08 -10.56
2015 -9.25 -10.46 -22.82 -18.05 -7.18 -16.35 -6.04 0.85 -11.24
2016 -9.12 -10.35 -23.61 -18.69 -7.33 -16.31 -5.57 2.1 -11.19
2017 -8.92 -10.34 -24.49 -19.46 -7.28 -16.09 -7.17 0.47 -11.74
2018 -9.75 -25.2 -20.02 -7.8 -7.48 1.26 -12.1
2019 -10.55 -26.94 -21.61 -8.3 -7.62 2.43 -12.7
2020

Figure 1. Cumulative Mass Balance of Eight Reference Glaciers, 1945-2020
Data source: WGMS, 2021
Web update: July 2022
Units: meters of water equivalent (mwe)

Key points

  • Since 1945, the eight Arctic glaciers in Figure 1 have experienced an overall decrease in mass balance. One exception to this pattern is Engabreen, near the subpolar zone along the coast of Norway, which gained mass during the time of record.

    This trend is weird and does not reflect significant global land ice loss as measured and cataloged from numerous glaciers elsewhere in the Arctic and worldwide in the 20th century. Engabreen is more strongly affected by precipitation than glaciers elsewhere in the Arctic.
  • The loss of land ice in the Arctic has accelerated in recent decades. The Arctic is the largest land ice source contributing to global sea level rise.

Background

The Arctic is undergoing rapid change, with warming air temperatures twice as fast as the global average. Arctic land ice loss has accelerated in recent decades, and since at least 1972, the Arctic has been the dominant source of global sea level rise.

Greenland is the most significant contributor to global sea level rise from Arctic land ice, followed by small glaciers. If increases in greenhouse gas concentrations continue at their current rate, many of the minor glaciers in the Arctic are expected to disappear entirely by mid-century.

As the Glaciers Indicator explains, glaciers are important indicators of climate change and provide visible evidence of changes in temperature and precipitation.

Retreating glaciers and melting permafrost in the Arctic create local and regional risks that disrupt lives and livelihoods, infrastructure, sustainable development, and national security.

About the indicator

The indicator focuses on a set of eight commonly measured glaciers at latitude 66°N or higher, dating back to at least 1970 – in one case to 1945. Figure 1 shows the cumulative mass balance of these glaciers from 1945 to 2020.

This mass measurement of the credit is consistent with the EPA’s Glacier Indicator, which focuses on only the eight commonly measured glaciers north of the Arctic Circle. “Mass balance” refers to the net gain or loss of snow and ice.

Measurements are in meters of water equivalent, which reflects glacier mass loss by representing changes in average glacier thickness. Cumulative change is determined from the base year of 1970, the first year that all eight glaciers had annual mass balance data.

About the Data

Notes on the indicator

  • The relationship between climate change and glacier mass balance is complex, and observed changes at specific reference glaciers reflect global and local changes in temperature and precipitation.

    Individual glaciers also differ in their structure, flow, and response to climate. Several measurements and analysis methods have been used for other glaciers, but the overall trends are similar.
  • Long-term measurements are only available for a tiny percentage of the world’s glaciers. This indicator does not include the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, although two decades of satellite data indicate that these ice sheets are also experiencing net ice loss.

    Continued collection of satellite data will allow scientists to assess long-term trends in the future.

Data Sources

The World Glacier Monitoring Service compiled the data for Figure 1 based on measurements collected by various organizations worldwide.

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