Melting ice in the polar regions is transforming the planet, and Professor Martin Siegert explains why understanding these changes is essential for global climate action. The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are now losing mass far faster than they were just a few decades ago, driving sea levels higher and increasing risks for the billion people living in low-lying coastal areas. Siegert highlights that humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels has accelerated atmospheric warming, intensifying the loss of polar ice and creating long-term consequences that could unfold over the next 150 to 200 years.

Understanding polar change is crucial to anticipating global risk and building a more resilient, low-carbon future. We face the dual challenge of rapid decarbonisation and climate adaptation, which demand shifts in governance, investment and economic to prepare societies for rising seas and changing weather systems.

Siegert also reflects on why polar science - with its decade-long project timelines - offers young researchers a rare opportunity to contribute to discoveries with long-lasting global impact.