If the global temperature rises more than 2 C, the world's biggest ice sheet could cause several meters of sea-level rise.

If global greenhouse emissions remain high, the melting of the East Antarctica Ice Sheet could cause half a meter of sea-level rise by century's end.

The analysis was published in a journal.

The EAIS could contribute up to 3 meters to global sea levels by 2300 and up to 5 meters by 2500.

According to the assessment, if emissions were dramatically reduced, EAIS could contribute 2 centimeters of sea level rise by century's end.

It would be less than the ice loss expected from the two countries.

The lead author of the analysis said that the fate of the ice sheet remained in our hands.

It's important that we don't awaken this sleeping giant because the ice sheet is the largest on the planet.

"Restricting global temperature increases to below the 2 C limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement should mean that we avoid the worst-case scenarios, or perhaps even halt the melting of the EastAntarctic Ice Sheet, and therefore limit its impact on global sea level rise," he said

Computer simulations

The study noted that the worst scenarios were not likely.

At the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, world leaders agreed to limit global warming to less than 2 C and to try to limit the rise to 1.5 C.

Scientists from the UK, Australia, France, and the US were part of the research team that analyzed the ice sheet's response to warm periods.

They used computer simulations to model the effects of greenhouse gasses on the ice sheet.

Evidence shows that 3 million years ago the EAIS collapsed and contributed to sea-level rise.

They said that there is evidence that a part of the EAIS retreated 700 km inland in response to only 1-2 C of global warming.

The sheet isn't as stable and protected as we were led to believe, according to a co-author.

Agence France- Presse.