Extract from ABC News
The joint statement says the implications of catastrophic ice melt "for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense". (Supplied: antartica.gov.au)
In short
Over the past week, more than 450 researchers gathered in Hobart for the inaugural Australian Antarctic Research Conference — the first such event in more than a decade.
Early career researchers have issued a statement, warning urgent action is needed to prevent catastrophic sea level rise around the world.
What's next?
Scientists say it's vital that societies reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the speed and severity of climate change.
Emergency summit for Antarctica's future
Almost two thirds of attendees were early career researchers, who have released a joint statement titled, Making Antarctica Cool Again.
The statement warns of the potential dire consequences of global sea level rise caused by melting ice sheets.
"Nowhere on Earth is there a greater cause of uncertainty in sea level rise projections than from East Antarctica, in Australia's backyard," the statement says.
"The East Antarctic ice sheet alone holds enough water to raise global sea levels by approximately 50 metres if completely melted.
"Implications for our coastal cities and infrastructure are immense."
The statement says the "new generation of researchers is committed to resolving these crises and sees an opportunity for us all to engage in forward-looking societal projects". (Supplied: Peter W Allen)
In the past 30 years, global sea levels have risen by about 10 centimetres, according to the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP).
Scientists say sea levels could rise by up to one metre by the end of the century under a high emissions scenario.
They are becoming increasingly concerned about melting ice in Antarctica.
The statement says "recent research has shown record-low sea ice, extreme heatwaves exceeding 40°C above average temperatures, and increased instability around key ice shelves". (Supplied: AAD/Jan Lieser)
The continent is currently estimated to lose 17 million tonnes of ice — the equivalent of a giant ice cube measuring 260 metres each side — every hour, the AAPP says.
"The services of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica — oceanic carbon sink and planetary air conditioner — have been taken for granted," the researchers' statement says.
"Global warming induced shifts observed in the region are immense.
"Recent research has shown record low sea ice, extreme heatwaves exceeding 40 degrees Celsius above average temperatures, and increased instability around key ice shelves."
Dr Edward Doddridge, Dr Natalia Riberio and James Wyatt urge action on climate change.
The statement says societies need to urgently "bend the carbon curve" by reducing greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible.
"Runaway ice loss causing rapid and catastrophic sea level rise is possible within our lifetime," it says.
"Whether such irreversible tipping points have already passed is unknown."
They say "nowhere on Earth is there a greater cause of uncertainty in sea-level rise projections than from East Antarctica, in Australia's backyard". (Supplied: AAD)
Early career researchers call for action
Dr Natalia Ribeiro, an ocean and cryosphere specialist at the University of Tasmania, said the statement was designed to convey the reality of the situation to the broader community.
"Although there's lots of tipping points that we don't necessarily understand completely, we do know enough to say that we do need to protect, we do need to control our emissions," she said.
"And for that to happen, it needs to go beyond the walls of the university.
"We need to make sure people understand that and relate to Antarctica in a way that they see that it impacts their future as well."
James Wyatt, pictured with Dr Natalia Riberio, says "more funding into those areas is pretty crucial to understand how it's going to affect our planet". (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Oceanographer James Wyatt from the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership said the importance of polar research could not be overstated.
"We're approaching some tipping points that we're not sure whether we can reverse or not," he said.
"So more funding into those areas is pretty crucial to understand how it's going to affect our planet."
Dr Edward Doddridge, a climate scientist from the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Scientists, praised the early career researchers for bringing urgency and energy to an issue of global importance.
"We throw around the word unprecedented quite a lot in climate science, but it really is true," Dr Doddridge said.
"We have seen shifts in the sea ice that were beyond our wildest imaginations. We have seen heat waves that were 40 degrees warmer than expected weather.
"We have seen entire colonies of Emperor penguins lose all of their young in a breeding season.
"To describe it as anything other than an emergency, sells these drastic changes short."
