Climate

Loss of a rare lake reveals how warming has hit the Canadian Arctic’s ‘planetary fridge’

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 19/10/2026, 22:54:24 UTC.

Briefings

A recent study published in Scientific Reports confirms that Canada's last known epishelf lake at Milne Fjord on Ellesmere Island drained into the sea after the Milne Ice Shelf calved in 2020. This event marks the end of a unique ecosystem where meltwater pools above denser seawater, creating distinct freshwater and marine layers. The loss highlights accelerating climate change in the Arctic, which impacts the entire planet, as the region was once thought to retain sea ice longer due to warming trends.

Key points

• The Milne Ice Shelf calved in 2020, causing the last known epishelf lake at Milne Fjord to drain into the sea.
• Previously, ice shelves dammed Ellesmere's fjords, creating an estimated 10 to 17 epishelf lakes perched along the north coast as recently as the 20th century.

Context

This finding is significant because it represents the final instance of a rare Arctic ecosystem, illustrating how fossil fuel-driven warming is dismantling the Last Ice Area. The study by Derek Mueller and colleagues at Carleton University underscores that Arctic changes have planetary implications.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to a single study published in Scientific Reports; no additional background or historical data is supplied. The article notes the lake won't return, but does not provide a timeline for future lake formation or the specific mechanisms driving the 2020 calving event.

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