About

GOAT (Getz-Ocean interactions, sentinel of Antarctic Transition to a warming climate) is an international scientific initiative studying Getz Ice Shelf in the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica. 

The glaciers in the Getz region of West Antarctica are undergoing significant changes due to climate influences, primarily characterised by increased ice loss and dynamic imbalance. Over the past 25 years, the Getz region has experienced a mean increase in ice speed of 23.8%, with some glaciers accelerating by over 44%, leading to a substantial ice mass loss of 315 Gt, contributing 0.9 ± 0.6 mm to global sea level rise (Selley et al. 2021). This acceleration and thinning are directly correlated, indicating a dynamic imbalance driven by oceanic and atmospheric forcings. The dynamic ice loss in the Getz region is part of a broader pattern observed across Antarctica, where ice speed variations at marine-terminating glacier grounding lines significantly impact sea level rise. 

Nine glaciers in this region have been named after locations of important climate treaties, conferences and reports. 

• Geneva Glacier: Named after the first climate conference in 1979.

• Rio Glacier: Commemorates the 1992 Earth Summit and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

• Berlin Glacier: Named after the first Conference of Parties (COP) in 1995, which united global efforts to tackle climate change.

• Kyoto Glacier: Marks the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol at COP3 in 1997, legally binding developed countries to emission reduction targets.

• Bali Glacier: Celebrates the release of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report in 2007 and the Bali Road Map at COP13.

• Stockholm Glacier: Honors the approval of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report in 2014, the largest gathering of scientists at the time.

• Paris Glacier: Commemorates the 2015 agreement of a legally binding treaty to limit global warming to below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.

• Incheon Glacier: Marks the 2015 meeting for the IPCC  special report on global warming of 1.5°C.

• Glasgow Glacier: Named for the COP26 in 2021.

These names celebrate the advancements achieved through scientific collaboration and policy action. The GOAT initiative takes this one step further by creating a collaborative research team and developing public outreach initiatives that continue to highlight the need for urgent action to address sea level rise.