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## Nachricht vom 02.06.98, erstellt von greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org
## weitergeleitet durch Klaus Merkle
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GREENPEACE DOCUMENTS GLACIAL RETREAT IN MELT ZONE AS
INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE TREATY NEGOTIATIONS RESUME IN BONN 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 2, 1998 - North American glaciers are
retreating and thinning significantly following rapid increases
in regional temperature and are likely to have a large impact on
global sea level rise, a US glacial expert working with a
Greenpeace expedition said today as international climate
protocol negotiations begin in Bonn. 

U.S. Geological Survey scientist Dr. Bruce Molnia said glaciers
in northwestern North America, including Alaska, British
Columbia and the Yukon, could produce up to 50 percent of the
glacial meltwater contributing to sea level rise over the next
century. The Western Arctic region has warmed at almost one
degree Celsius per decade for at least the past 3 decades or
several times the average global rate.

"These glaciers are especially important because they are warm
glaciers (close to melting point) and so a small temperature
increase such as we've been seeing in this part of North
America, can have a significant impact in increasing the rate of
melting of these glaciers," Molnia said. 

The Greenpeace expedition visited College Fiord, Harriman Fiord
and Barry Arm in Prince William Sound. Dr. Molnia noted
significant retreat in a number of glaciers since his 1996 visit
to the region. Parts of College Fiord were inaccessible because
of the sheer quantity of ice calved from the melting glaciers. 

Last year Greenpeace documented the retreat of the Bering
Glacier, also in Alaska, which has shrunk by 10-12 km in length
during the past century, losing 130 square km in area. The rate
of retreat and thinning has increased over the past two decades
with parts of the glacier retreating by as much as one kilometre
a year during the early 1990's. Over recent decades sections of
the glacier have thinned by up to 180 metres or about 20-25 per
cent of its total thickness. 

The observed glacial retreat is confirmed by a new University of
Colorado study which finds that the largest glacial contribution
to sea level rise since 1980 comes from North American glaciers.
[1] In a recent University of Colorado press statement, study
co-author and Professor Emeritus Mark Meier said "the
disappearance of glacier ice is more pronounced than we
previously had thought" and "I'm convinced there is a detectable
human influence in the pattern of climate change we are seeing".
[2]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected a
sea level rise of up to 86 cm over the next century if
greenhouse gas levels double in the atmosphere, and by 1.5
metres or more over following centuries.[2] A third OF THIS rise
would be contributed by glaciers and ice caps and more than half
by the thermal expansion of the oceans. 

Computer animations, released today by Greenpeace and based on
U.S. Geological Survey digital elevation data, suggest that a
one metre rise would inundate key agricultural and population
regions of Asia, including parts of the Yangtze River delta in
China, much of the Mekong River delta in Vietnam and Cambodia,
and large areas of Bangladesh. [3]

"Millions of people would be affected by sea level rise in Asia,
on Pacific islands, and in many other regions, including Florida
and the Gulf Coast of the United States, unless the industrial
countries implement the commitments they made last December in
Kyoto, and negotiate much stronger greenhouse gas reductions in
the near future," said Greenpeace climate campaigner Martina
Krueger.

This week in Bonn delegations from more than 150 countries will
resume negotiations on the implementation of the 1997 Kyoto
Climate Protocol in preparation for the climate summit in Buenos
Aires. 

ENDS

Notes: [1] Mark B. Dyurgerov and Mark F. Meier, 1997. "Year-to-
year fluctuations of global mass balance of small glaciers and
their contribution to sea-level changes", Arctic and Alpine
Research 29(4):392-402. 
[2] "World's Glaciers Continue to Shrink According to New CU-
Boulder Study", University of Colorado news release, May 26,
1998.

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org