Greenland ice sheet shrinks for 30th consecutive year
The Greenland ice sheet lost 135 billion tonnes of ice in the year to August 2026, marking 30 straight years of net loss.
FTMQ Climate, written by our newsroom0 views
The Greenland ice sheet has experienced its 30th consecutive year of net ice loss, Carbon Brief reported. Over the 12-month period ending in August 2026, the ice sheet lost approximately 135 billion tonnes of ice. Scientists measure ice sheet dynamics over 30-year windows to establish long-term climate trends. [1]
The continuous decline occurred despite a relatively cool start to the summer season and lower levels of surface melting compared to prior years. Carbon Brief reported that the period was not considered an extreme weather year for the region, yet the ice sheet consistently lost more mass than it gained. [1]
Greenland contains the second-largest ice sheet in the world. According to Grokipedia, the autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark is covered by extensive ice, with a population of 56,831 people as of mid-2025, primarily residing along the coast. [1][4]
In short
- The Greenland ice sheet lost around 135 billion tonnes of ice in the 12 months to August 2026.
- August 2026 marked the 30th consecutive year where Greenland lost more ice than it gained.
- The ice sheet is the second-largest in the world.
Sources
Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.
- [1]Guest post: Greenland ice sheet shrinks for 30th year in a rowCarbon Brief, 7d ago (the report this story comes from)
Background
- [2]List of Henry Winkler performances on Wikipedia
- [3]Cephalopod size on Wikipedia
- [4]Greenland on Grokipedia
Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 4 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.
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