When Glaciers Speak
One of our Strategic Advisory Board members,Susan McPherson, Founder & CEO of McPherson Strategies, recently shared some moving reflections from a trip to Greenland with 24 women from seven countries; the trip was organized byActive Philanthropy and featured prominent leaders such as the The Club of Rome's President, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Apolitical Foundation's CEO, Lisa Witter, renowned economist, Kate Haworth and global economist and climate scientist, Dr. Twila Moon:
"So many emotions are pouring through me having spent the last week on a climate change discovery education trip to Greenland in the company of 24 brilliant, accomplished women from 7 different countries. Our time together featured presentations from scientists and global economists, deeply meaningful conversations, divine meals prepared with local fresh ingredients and new friendships that will last a life time - all in a rugged yet pristine natural environment.
Two of the days were spent literally right next to one of the largest and most active glaciers in the world - Eqi Glacier. Virtually every 5-10 minutes we would witness the glacier “calving” -- essentially dumping thousands of gallons of ice and sediment into the Arctic Ocean. Greenland has lost more ice in the last 10 years than in the last 100. And with each crash, it was a reminder to all of us what a significant impact this “new water” means to the rising world’s oceans and to all of us. Glaciers' demise is becoming deadly for humankind.
We also learned extensively about the rising carbon dioxide in the world’s atmosphere - having added more than 50% since before the industrial revolution and therefore directly contributing to a 1.2 degree temperature increase. In the Arctic, that warming is three times greater. This is all causing vicious cycles. The warmer the air’s temperature, the more the global sea ice melts.
And not just in Greenland. Alpine and Himalayan glaciers are also melting at increasingly high rates. This year’s record breaking glacial melt in Asia’s iconic mountain range has led to deadly flooding that has devastated Pakistan, submerging farmlands and cities and killing more than 1,000 people.
While Greenland itself experiences a lowering sea level, the rest see it rise. The melted glaciers add water in the ocean and simultaneously the ocean rises because warmer water simply expands more than cold water. If Greenland melts completely, the world will witness a 7.4 meter sea level rise.
I return home even more committed to help drive positive change in the world and do everything I possibly can to turn the tide of our current trajectory."