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Remote. Pristine. Unyielding. Antarctica was once all three; now it is none. Humanity ravaged Antarctica’s marine ecosystems and now tempts catastrophic sea-level rise. But, as collated in this Insight, we are also revealing the physical mechanisms that control Antarctica’s interactions with, and impact on, the broader climate system. Our current knowledge illuminates society’s looming choice for Antarctica’s future.
The future of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean by 2070 is described under two scenarios, one in which action is taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and one in which no action is taken.