Final answer:
An interglacial climate generally leads to a positive mass balance for glaciers, resulting in accelerated ice melting and glacier retreat due to higher temperatures and feedback mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
An interglacial climate favors a positive mass balance for glaciers and ice sheets. During interglacial periods, such as the current Holocene epoch, warmer climates lead to ice melting at an accelerated pace due to higher air temperatures and positive feedback mechanisms, such as the darkening of ice surfaces with meltwater. This contributes to the overall decrease in ice mass and the retreat of glaciers, as evidenced by the loss of mass in ice sheets in places like Greenland and Antarctica, and shrinking glacier sizes like those in Glacier National Park. The climate change and its interactions with the cryosphere are complex, driven by various factors including greenhouse gas increases, shifts in ocean circulation, and volcanic activity.