A groundbreaking study led by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) has revealed that human-driven climate change will accelerate Antarctic warming at a rate exceeding prior projections. Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the research confirms Antarctic amplification – a phenomenon where polar regions warm disproportionately compared to global averages – is now detectable across the continent.
Using data from over 200 Antarctic weather stations and China's first-generation global atmospheric reanalysis systems, scientists identified a continent-wide warming signal. Under the Paris Agreement's 2°C global warming scenario, Antarctica's temperature rise will be 1.4 times faster than the Southern Hemisphere average, challenging previous assumptions about the region's climate resilience.
Dr. Ding Minghu, head of CAMS' Institute of Global Change and Polar Research, explained the delayed but intensifying impact: 'The Southern Hemisphere's powerful westerly winds initially buffer Antarctica from global warming. However, rising sea surface temperatures are now transferring heat across this barrier, creating a delayed but accelerating feedback loop.'
The findings carry significant implications for global sea level rise projections and marine ecosystems. As Antarctic ice sheets respond to faster warming, coastal nations worldwide face heightened risks of flooding and storm surges. The study underscores the urgent need for climate models to incorporate these revised warming trajectories in policy planning.
