Key facts
- Chinese researchers estimate Greenland lost 120 gigatonnes of ice annually from 2002-2023.
- This figure is 55% lower than previous US estimates.
- A 2010 study suggested Greenland's ice loss was around 230 gigatonnes per year.
- A more recent study indicated Greenland loses 30 million tonnes of ice per hour.
Chinese researchers have developed a new model using satellite surface elevation data from 2002 to 2023 to estimate Greenland's ice loss. Their findings indicate an average annual loss of approximately 120 gigatonnes (264.5 trillion lbs) of mass. This figure is substantially lower than previous estimates, such as those from NASA, which placed the annual loss closer to 270 gigatonnes. A 2010 study, incorporating corrections for glacial isostatic adjustment, suggested Greenland's ice caps were melting at half the previously predicted speed, estimating an annual loss of 230 gigatonnes. More recently, a study covered by The Guardian reported Greenland losing 30 million tonnes of ice per hour.