The ice sheet is melting 1.4 times faster than it did ten years ago.
New scientific research has found that the amount of Antarctic ice melting each year is now approximately 80 billion tons more than in 1996. Experts used satellite measurements, which showed that the rate of ice and snow loss in the western half of Antarctica is 140% faster than ten years ago. Earlier studies suggested that the total amount of Antarctic ice could increase over the next century due to increased snowfall. However, the latest research overturns this assumption. The current estimated annual ice and snow loss across Antarctica is 196 billion tons; the worst-affected area is West Antarctica, where the estimated loss in 2006 was 132 billion tons, an increase of 49 billion tons compared to the 83 billion tons lost in 1996. In the Antarctic Peninsula, the rate of ice and snow loss is even faster, with the estimated loss increasing from 25 billion tons to 60 billion tons. It is believed that the ice and snow loss in East Antarctica is much lower, at 4 billion tons per year, and has remained unchanged since 1996. An international team of scientists is currently observing changes in the ice and snow cover along 85% of the Antarctic coast. Professor Bonma of the University of Bristol stated that scientists' observations in the area have revealed significant and dramatic changes in ice thickness, indicating that climate system changes are rapidly impacting Antarctic ice sheets. Bonma further confirms a global trend of shrinking glaciers in mountains worldwide, including Greenland, the Patagonian Plateau, and Alaska. While it cannot be definitively stated that global warming is the sole culprit behind glacial melting, it is widely believed that the loss of ice and snow in Antarctica is accelerating.