Greenland’s ice sheet melted 17 times faster during a May 2025 heatwave, a climate-driven crisis that signals escalating global sea level risks.
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| Unprecedented May temperatures melted Greenland’s ice at 17 times the historical rate, a climate emergency affecting global sea levels and Arctic life. Image: CH |
Reykjavik, Iceland and Nuuk, Greenland – June 12, 2025:
Greenland’s ice sheet underwent an extraordinary meltdown during a late-spring heatwave in May 2025, melting at a rate 17 times higher than the long-term average for the same period. According to a preliminary report released Wednesday by the scientific network World Weather Attribution (WWA), the Arctic is warming at an alarming pace — four times faster than the rest of the planet — and the consequences are already reverberating globally.
Between May 15 and 21, temperatures in eastern Greenland soared nearly 4°C above preindustrial levels, accelerating ice loss on a massive scale. "The Greenland ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise during this event was significantly higher than it would have been without the heatwave," said Dr. Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and co-author of the report. She emphasized the clear role of human-induced climate change: “Without climate change this would have been impossible.”
Simultaneously, Iceland experienced its own extreme anomaly. On May 15, temperatures exceeded 26°C (79°F) — unprecedented for the subarctic nation in May. Ninety-four percent of Iceland’s weather stations recorded all-time highs for the month. WWA stated that daily maximum temperatures were over 13°C hotter than the 1991–2020 average. The event, which the report estimates could recur once every century, is now being viewed as part of a wider climate shift that is undermining both the Arctic ecosystem and global environmental stability.
The consequences extend beyond melting glaciers. Greenland’s indigenous communities face severe disruptions to traditional ice-based hunting practices, threatening cultural survival and food security. Meanwhile, infrastructure built for cold climates in both Greenland and Iceland faces unexpected strain — from flooding and erosion to road and facility damage.
Compounding the risk is the potential for ecological degradation. In 2022, similar heat led to permafrost thawing in the Arctic, releasing iron and other metals into lakes. Scientists warn that with warmer temperatures and heavy rainfall becoming more common, the region’s ecosystems and freshwater supplies are becoming increasingly fragile. Sanitation risks also rise, particularly in rural Greenlandic settlements that lack adequate sewage systems.
This event reiterates the Arctic’s vulnerability and central role in the climate crisis. While a 20°C heatwave may not seem extreme in other regions, in Greenland and Iceland, it radically alters natural rhythms, accelerates ice loss, and contributes to global sea level rise — impacting every continent.
Dr. Otto concluded, “It affects the whole world massively.” The May 2025 heatwave serves as a sobering reminder that Arctic anomalies are not isolated — they are bellwethers for the planet’s future.