Repeated laser‐altimeter surveys and modelled snowfall/summer melt show average ice loss from Greenland between 1997 and 2003 was 80 ± 12 km3 yr−1, compared to about 60 km3 yr−1 for 1993/4–1998/9. Half of the increase was from higher summer melting, with the rest caused by velocities of some glaciers exceeding those needed to balance upstream snow accumulation. Velocities of one large glacier almost doubled between 1997 and 2003, resulting in net loss from its drainage basin by about 20 km3 of ice between 2002 and 2003.