Scientists watch Greenland’s ice closely because it holds enough ice to raise sea levels by 24 feet if it ever fully melted.
The Big Story
NASA says global sea levels have risen about 4 inches since the early 1990s.
NOAA says Greenland lost about 129 billion tons of ice during the latest melt season, even though melting levels change from year to year.
The Two Spins
From the Left
- View Greenland’s long-term ice loss and rising sea levels as proof climate change is already happening.
- Delaying action now creates bigger economic and environmental costs later.
From the Right
- Question how climate predictions are communicated when yearly data changes so much.
- Early climate policies raise energy and living costs too quickly for families and businesses.
What This Means for Us
Climate sounds far away until insurance bills or grocery prices jump after storms and floods.
Cities already spend billions on roads, drainage systems, and flood protection, while we feel those costs through taxes, insurance premiums, food prices, and energy bills.
How They Make Money
Verisk Analytics
- Big insurers like Allstate and State Farm use Verisk data to estimate flood risk, storm damage, and insurance costs.
- Verisk employs about 8,000 people and is worth roughly $25 billion, by helping insurers put a price tag on disasters and uncertainty.
Takeaway
More than 90% of the U.S. property and casualty insurance industry relies on Verisk data, and most people have never heard of it.
The Number That Stuck With Me
20
In the 1980s, the U.S. averaged 3 weather disasters a year. Now it averages more than 20.