A study spanning 13 years has revealed that Greenland’s Qaanaaq Ice Cap has lost enough ice to create a layer of water about 8 meters (26 feet) deep if melted and spread evenly across its surface. Researchers from Hokkaido University conducted this study, which was published in the Journal of Glaciology. It offers one of the few long-term records of glacier change in northwestern Greenland, using ground-based measurements rather than satellite data. The team used aluminum poles drilled into the ice to measure surface elevation changes, combined with data on ice movement, weather, and snowfall. Their findings show that ice loss was not uniform across the ice cap, with lower elevations losing ice more rapidly than higher areas. The rate of ice loss also increased in the later years of the study, largely due to warmer summer temperatures. To track changes, researchers measured surface elevation at 280 locations while recording local air temperatures and snow conditions. At Qaanaaq Glacier, part of the ice cap, the surface had dropped by an average of 8.7 meters (29 feet) over the study period. The increase in ice loss could not be fully explained by surface melting or reduced snowfall. About half of the increased ice loss in the lower part of the glacier was linked to changes in ice movement. As the glacier slowed, less ice was flowing from higher areas to replace the ice being lost in the lower parts, contributing to the overall decline. Although glaciers and ice caps cover only about 4% of Greenland’s ice-covered area, they accounted for roughly 14% of the total ice loss in the region between 2018 and 2021. This long-term study was made possible in part by collaboration with local Greenlandic communities. During the 2020 and 2021 pandemic years, when fieldwork was disrupted, local residents helped collect data on snow accumulation and ice loss. The research team shares its findings with these communities each year and aims to increase local involvement in future monitoring efforts. The study highlights the importance of ground-based research and local collaboration in understanding ice dynamics. By combining scientific methods with community knowledge, researchers hope to improve the accuracy of ice loss measurements and better understand the impacts of climate change on Greenland’s glaciers. This approach not only enhances scientific understanding but also empowers local communities to participate in monitoring their environment.