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Greenland's melting ice affects the global climate.
Summary
Greenland's ice sheet is losing mass rapidly, with scientists reporting 105 billion metric tons lost in the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2025, and longer-term thinning that has reduced ice area since the 1980s; U.S., Greenland and Danish officials are due to meet about related issues.
Content
Greenland is losing large amounts of ice, and that loss has implications far beyond the island itself. The Arctic is warming faster than most of the planet, and scientists say changes in Greenland influence sea levels, ocean heat absorption and circulation patterns. These shifts affect coastal regions and can alter weather patterns elsewhere. U.S., Greenland and Danish officials are scheduled to meet about related concerns.
Current situation:
- Scientists at the Danish Meteorological Institute reported Greenland lost 105 billion metric tons of ice in the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2025.
- Research shows Greenland's ice sheet has thinned for decades and shrank by nearly 2,000 square miles between 1985 and 2022.
- Melting ice adds freshwater to the ocean, contributing to sea-level rise and is reported to influence major ocean circulation patterns.
- Officials from the United States, Greenland and Denmark are due to meet on the matter; further outcomes are undetermined at this time.
Summary:
Greenland's ice loss is measured in large annual declines and long-term thinning, which contribute to rising seas and shifts in ocean circulation. Talks among U.S., Greenland and Danish officials are scheduled, and the immediate outcomes of those meetings are undetermined at this time.
