Greenland's Melting Glaciers Expose Hundreds of Miles of New Coastline and Islands

Melting glaciers in Greenland have revealed approximately 2,466 kilometers (1,532 miles) of new coastline between 2000 and 2020, according to a recent study using satellite imagery. This significant glacial retreat has also unveiled 35 new islands, with 29 located in Greenland and others in Svalbard and the Russian Arctic. Notably, 13 of these islands had never been previously mapped, while some had been temporarily buried under ice in past decades before reappearing. The glacier with the longest new coastline, Zachariae Isstrom in northeast Greenland, accounts for over 81 kilometers (50 miles) of the newly exposed land. This reshaping of Greenland's geography highlights the dramatic impact of climate change and its geopolitical implications as newly accessible resources spark international interest.