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Thwaites Glacier Melt Could Raise Sea Levels 30mm by 2100

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 3:11 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. researchers report warm seawater, driven by anthropogenic climate change and 1940s El Niño, melting Thwaites Glacier’s base.
They estimate the glacier could raise global sea level by 1.2 inches (30 mm) by 2100.
The glacier has shed over 1,000 billion tonnes since 2000 and loses about 50 billion tonnes annually.
Lead author Mattia Poinelli says there is a 60 percent chance Thwaites will unpin from Mouginot Ridge by century’s end.

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Story summary

U.S. researchers report warm seawater, driven by anthropogenic climate change and 1940s El Niño, melting Thwaites Glacier’s base.
They estimate the glacier could raise global sea level by 1.2 inches (30 mm) by 2100.
The glacier has shed over 1,000 billion tonnes since 2000 and loses about 50 billion tonnes annually.
Lead author Mattia Poinelli says there is a 60 percent chance Thwaites will unpin from Mouginot Ridge by century’s end.