Greenland ice sheet melting may bring extreme cold winters to UK
A Sky News special report from Greenland examines the melting ice sheet and its potential to disrupt the Gulf Stream, leading to extreme cold winters in the UK.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Scientists in Greenland are warning that the melting of the vast Greenland ice sheet could disrupt a key ocean current and bring extreme cold winters to the UK. The ice sheet, which is seven times the size of the UK and up to two and a half kilometres thick, is melting at an accelerating rate due to global warming. A team of researchers is on the ice sheet to measure how meltwater flows off the glaciers and into the sea, and to assess the risk to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
The AMOC acts like a giant heat-driven conveyor belt. Salty water moves north from the tropics, warming northern Europe and the UK. When it reaches the Arctic, the water cools, sinks, and begins a slow journey south again. But there is growing evidence that the AMOC is slowing down. Some experts predict a fast-approaching tipping point that could shut off the currents keeping Europe warm. The prime suspect is the huge volume of fresh water flooding off Greenland's ice sheet. In a big melt year, up to 500 billion tons of water can pour into the sea. This fresh water acts like a giant liquid spanner in the works of the AMOC, potentially slowing or stopping it.
If the current weakens, the climate in northwest Europe could become much colder in winter. Scientists warn that temperatures in London could drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. However, computer models do not all agree on the future of the AMOC. To get better data, researchers are deploying networks of stations on the ice sheet that use seismic sensors to listen to water running deep below the glaciers. They have also built instruments called cryo eggs that can track the flow of water through subglacial streams hidden within the ice. The work is dangerous: scientists must drop instruments into tunnels of meltwater called moulins, where a slip could be fatal. The data they collect will help reduce uncertainty about how fast Greenland's ice is turning into ocean water and what that means for the global climate.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| Scientists are using cryo eggs to track the flow of water through subglacial streams. | |
| The Greenland ice sheet is seven times the size of the UK and up to 2.5 km thick. | |
| Up to 500 billion tons of water can flood off the Greenland ice sheet in a big melt year. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News focused on the dramatic potential impact on the UK, using vivid imagery such as 'minus 20 in London in the winter' and describing the meltwater as a 'giant liquid spanner'. The report highlighted the fieldwork of scientists in Greenland, emphasising the urgency and danger of their research. The tone was urgent and visually descriptive, aiming to make the science accessible to a general audience.
- “minus 20 in London in the winter”
- “like a giant liquid spanner in the works of the AMOC”
- “It's science on the edge dropping instruments into these tunnels of meltwater called moulins takes experience One slip and there's little chance for escape”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.