Since 2002, Antarctica has been a significant contributor to global sea level rise, accounting for approximately one-third of the estimated 63 millimeters, primarily due to ice thinning and glacier retreat.

Currently, Antarctica is losing about 136 billion tonnes of ice each year, a stark contrast to Greenland's annual loss of approximately 267 billion tonnes, as reported by NASA.

In specific regions like Vincennes Bay and Denman, researchers have observed alarming ice loss, with 72.5% of surface melt and a total ice loss of 27.5%.

Given the potential for significant impacts on global sea levels, scientists are urging increased focus on East Antarctica's coastal glacier basins, which are at risk of complete disintegration.

Interestingly, researchers from China have found unexpected growth in some coastal glaciers in East Antarctica, highlighting the need for more scientific investigation in this area.

The research team conducted a detailed analysis of changes in Antarctica's Ice Sheet from April 2002 to December 2023, focusing on four key glacier basins: Denman, Moscow, Totten, and Vincennes Bay.

Despite the concerning trends, the Antarctic Ice Sheet experienced a temporary mass increase until 2023, attributed to higher snowfall, resulting in a gain of 107 billion tonnes of ice.

Dr. Alex Gardner from NASA's Sea Level Change Team warns that the thinning of ice creates a cycle of instability, potentially leading to the collapse of entire ice sheets.

Experts like Dr. Wei Wang from Shanghai's Tonji University have noted that a complete collapse of the Antarctic ice sheets could lead to a dramatic sea level rise of up to 7 meters.

Rising polar ocean temperatures and atmospheric warming are exacerbating instabilities within the ice sheets, contributing to increased ice loss through processes such as calving.

The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a significant temperature increase of approximately 3.2°C in the latter half of the 20th century, which is over three times the global average.

Overall, sea levels have risen by about 225 millimeters since 1880, with a concerning 101 millimeters of that increase occurring since 1993, indicating an acceleration in ice melt.