In the summer of 2012, one of the most vital ecosystems on earth, the Greenland ice sheet, experienced a meltdown that alarmed scientists the world over.

Greenland is an island encased in ice and it’s the world’s second largest ice sheet after Antarctica. That summer, ninety-seven percent of the surface ice melted. “Melting Point” is a comprehensive examination of this event. The 2013 National Headliners Award First Prize Environmental Reporting.

Videographer Snorre Wik shot the footage under tough conditions—hauling around 1,000 pounds of gear by helicopter, by SUV (on Greenland’s mostly dirt roads) and out on a thinning ice sheet made treacherous by the sun. His efforts were both breathtaking and disturbing. Additionally, Jens Christiansson is responsible for filming the destruction of the Watson River bridge. Marco Tedesco and his team of researchers filmed the moulins and ice cap during the record meltoff.

More Info Climate State
http://climatestate.com/2013/12/21/abrupt-climate-change-in-the-arctic-and-beyond-an-update/
http://climatestate.com/2013/12/17/scientists-concerns-challenge-conservative-sea-level-rise-projections/
http://climatestate.com/2013/11/29/scientists-measure-bubbling-sounds-of-melting-glaciers/
http://climatestate.com/2013/07/29/greenland-ice-sheet-starting-to-slip/
http://climatestate.com/2013/06/20/exceptional-2012-greenland-ice-melt-caused-by-jet-stream-changes-that-may-be-driven-by-global-warming/
http://climatestate.com/2013/06/18/richard-alley-on-greenland-part-1/

Greenland: A Ring of Mountains – an Atoll Under the Ice Sheet http://youtu.be/WmC7-DrAuJU
Greenland Goes Green: Ice Sheet Melted in Four Days PBS http://youtu.be/0IjvLavB23Q

Marco Tedesco’s scientific site on Greenland melt, including data, maps, plots, discussion, and scientific literature. http://www.greenlandmelting.com/

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Get satellite images and information about surface melting on the Greenland ice sheet. http://nsidc.org/greenland-today/
August 28, 2013 Greenland’s surface ice melt season reached a peak in late July, coinciding with a period of very warm weather. Greenland’s melt season this year will be closer to average than was 2012, with far less melting in the northern ice sheet and at high elevations. Nevertheless, an all-time record high temperature for Greenland may have been set in 2013. http://nsidc.org/greenland-today/2013/08/late-season-warmth-extends-2013-greenland-melt-seasonbriefly/

The Danish Arctic research institutions present updated knowledge on the condition of two major components of the Arctic: The Greenland Ice Sheet and the sea ice http://polarportal.org/en/home/

NOAA Arctic Report Card has been issued annually since 2006. It is a timely and peer-reviewed source for clear, reliable and concise environmental information on the current state of different components of the Arctic environmental system relative to historical records. The Report Card is intended for a wide audience, including scientists, teachers, students, decision-makers and the general public interested in the Arctic environment and science.
2013 Greenland Ice Sheet http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/greenland_ice_sheet.html