EGU22-6431
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-6431
EGU General Assembly 2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Future global glacier mass changes and their impact on sea level and streamflow

Regine Hock1,2
Regine Hock
  • 1Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • 2Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA

Concurrent with atmospheric warming, glaciers around the world are rapidly retreating with direct consequences for global sea level and streamflow. Projections indicate considerable mass losses over the 21st century, however, mass losses vary strongly between regions and emission scenarios. In some regions with little ice cover projections forced by high emission scenarios show almost complete deglaciation by the end of the 21st century while in high-polar regions the relative mass losses are generally in the order of a few tenths of percent relative to year 2015. The mass losses alter local runoff regimes and lead to glacier runoff increases in some regions but to decreases in others. Global glacier changes are linearly correlated with global mean temperature increase indicating that limiting global warming has a direct effect on future glacier mass changes.

How to cite: Hock, R.: Future global glacier mass changes and their impact on sea level and streamflow, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-6431, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-6431, 2022.