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Water Week: Melting glaciers and rising seas

The Jamtal Glacier in Austria has been losing about three feet from its surface annually, but this year it has already lost more than that.
The Jamtal Glacier in Austria has been losing about three feet from its surface annually, but this year it has already lost more than that.

In early July, a large chunk of the Marmolada Glacier detached, causing an avalanche. Rock and ice crashed into climbers scaling the glacier, part of the Dolomites Mountains in Italy. At least seven died.

The tragedy is a direct effect of quickening glacier loss. Glaciers are melting twice as fast as they did two decades ago. About 20 percent of global sea level rise can be attributed to melting glaciers.

Sea level rises threatens coastal communities in the U.S., but also entire island nations. Pacific island nations, which contribute relatively little to climate change, are the most affected.

We talk about the domino effect climate change has on glaciers and sea levels.

Copyright 2022 WAMU 88.5

Avery Kleinman