These findings call into question predictions of the future of Greenland in a warmer climate from computer models that do not include variations in glacier flow as a component of change. Actual changes will likely be much larger than predicted by these models.

The southern half of Greenland is reacting to what we think is climate warming. The northern half is waiting but I don't think it's going to take long.

Climate warming can work in different ways, but generally speaking, if you warm up the ice sheet, the glacier will flow faster.

In the future, as warming around Greenland progresses further north, we expect additional losses from northwest Greenland glaciers, which will then increase Greenland's contribution to sea level rise.

The significant result of these future scenarios is the progressive raising of mean global temperatures and the movement of climate zones in connection with that. Almost everywhere on earth, the forestry industry will have to husband different types of trees than it has until now.

The Greenland ice sheet's contribution to sea level is an issue of considerable societal and scientific importance.