Irish Examiner view: We are treading on very thin ice

The latest climate change shock: Unless greenhouse gases are curbed, East Antarctic ice sheet could unleash a 5m sea level rise

The vast East Antarctic ice sheet, which is roughly the same size as the US, is in danger of melting, causing sea levels to rise by five metres. Picture: Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu/Getty

It seems like every other day we are seeing new and even more catastrophic illustrations of how our world is being changed in front of our disbelieving eyes by climate change. 

The latest astonishing warning came in the last few days when scientists warned that, unless global greenhouse gas emission targets are met, the world’s largest ice sheet could unleash sea level rises of over 5m.