Climate Change Doomsday Glacier Could Cause 6 Foot Sea Level Rise!

Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier known as the “Doomsday Glacier.” Image from NASA (Reuters)

Greetings to you! In this blog, I’d like to continue talking about climate change and its devastating warming effect it can make the Thwaites (Doomsday) Glacier unstable.

Recently published research discusses what could happen if this Antarctic glacier the size of Great Britain melts. And the very sobering news is it “could collapse within 10 years and have catastrophic effects.”

Ella Gilbert, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Climate Science, at the University of Reading said, “Were it to empty into the ocean, it could trigger a regional chain reaction and drag other nearby glaciers in with it, which would mean several meters of sea-level rise. That’s because the glaciers in West Antarctica are thought to be vulnerable to a mechanism called Marine Ice Cliff Instability or MICI, where retreating ice exposes increasingly tall, unstable ice cliffs that collapse into the ocean.”

Gilbert continued and said, “A sea level rise of several meters would inundate many of the world’s major cities – including Shanghai, New York, Miami, Tokyo, and Mumbai. It would also cover huge swathes of land in coastal regions and largely swallow up low-lying island nations like Kiribati, Tuvalu, and the Maldives.”

The Thwaites Glacier is approximately “74,000 square miles, the size of Great Britain, and is thought to be particularly susceptible to climate change. Even now, ice draining from Thwaites into the Amundsen Sea accounts for about four percent of global sea-level rise – as it dumps 50 billion tons of ice into the ocean each year.”

Scientists speaking to the BBC warned in that dramatic changes “could occur within ten or even five years.” The scientists warn that “a floating section of Thwaites Glacier could shatter like a car windscreen.”

Professor Ted Scambos, US lead coordinator for the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) said, “There is going to be dramatic change in the front of the glacier, probably in less than a decade. Both published and unpublished studies point in that direction. This will accelerate the pace (of Thwaites) and widen, effectively, the dangerous part of the glacier.”

Rob Larter, UK principal investigator for the Thwaites Glacier Project at the British Antarctic Survey said, “It is the most vulnerable place in Antarctica.”

Other researchers added, “The South Pole, the most remote place on the planet, has warmed three times faster than other areas over the past three decades.”

What is One Excellent Way to Talk to Kids about Climate Change?

One awesome tool for talking to kids about climate change is to read my fourth installment in the award-winning Kobee Manatee® Children’s Educational Picture Book series. It’s titled, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole HazardIt’s about climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans.

Kobee Manatee Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard – (Lexile Measure:790L)

When you read this educational picture book to children, it’s a fun and fictional adventure loaded with weaved in facts on climate change and plastic pollution, which helps children learn about this serious subject in a fun and entertaining way. Here’s a brief synopsis …

Kobee Manatee, the protagonist and his seafaring pals, Tess the seahorse and Pablo the hermit crab swim from the Cayman Islands to Belize. Kobee wants to help his cousin Quinn clean up plastic litter at her new, all-veggie underwater bistro called Quinn’s Seagrass Café.

On their Caribbean journey they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, several other unforeseen problems occur with a distressed loggerhead turtle, a giant Portuguese man-of-war, and a venomous scorpionfish. They’re all amazed when they discover the extraordinary Great Blue Hole. Then their adventure takes another crazy turn when Pablo plunges into its huge abyss!

Each page includes in-depth, scientific details on climate change and plastic pollution in our oceans with Dr. Tracy FanaraInspector Planet & NOAA Scientist. Tracy can be seen on The Weather Channel as a visiting expert and she’s also seen on their “Weird Earth” segments.

We already have Fantastic Reviews on this New Release!

“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” Kirkus Reviews

“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.”   Readers’ Favorite

For young readers who enjoy imaginative tales surrounding affable and heroic sea creatures, as well as parents and/or teachers looking for a way to introduce youngsters to the importance of marine conservation, Kobee Manatee® Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard offers a perfect blend. Highly recommended– Chanticleer Book Reviews

Keep watching for more of my updates on climate change!

If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-3922 (FWCC). They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.

Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …

www.savethemanatee.org

Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …

www.wildtracks.org

~ Robert Scott Thayer

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