Summary:

- The ESA's CryoSat satellite has provided detailed measurements of the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, revealing an alarming acceleration in the loss of freshwater and the subsequent rise in sea levels.
- The data shows that the rate of ice loss from the world's glaciers and ice sheets has increased by 57% over the past 20 years, with the majority of the loss coming from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.
- This rapid melting of ice is contributing to a significant increase in global sea levels, which poses a major threat to coastal communities and ecosystems around the world.