The Arctic Is in Dire Straits, 20 Years of Reporting Show
3 days ago
- #Arctic
- #environment
- #climate change
- The Arctic has warmed twice as fast as the global average since 2006.
- About 95% of the oldest, thickest sea ice is gone, with the remaining ice located north of Greenland.
- The central Arctic Ocean is becoming warmer and saltier, affecting global weather patterns.
- Surface air temperatures in the Arctic were the warmest between October 2024 and September 2025 since at least 1900.
- The 10 warmest years in the Arctic have all occurred in the past decade.
- Sea ice extent reached a record low annual peak, with the summer minimum being the 10th lowest in 47 years.
- Disappearing sea ice leads to more absorption of the sun's rays by the ocean, creating a vicious cycle of warming.
- The Arctic Ocean is undergoing 'Atlantification,' with warm, salty Atlantic waters disrupting ecosystems and heat transfer.
- A warmer ocean contributed to the strength of Typhoon Halong, which caused devastation in Alaska in October 2025.
- Glaciers in Alaska have lost 125 vertical feet since the mid-20th century.
- Greenland's ice sheet continues to pour meltwater into the oceans, raising sea levels.
- The Arctic is becoming wetter, with more rain and less snow; June snow cover is half of what it was 60 years ago.
- Permafrost thaw releases carbon, iron, and toxic metals, turning rivers orange and endangering ecosystems.
- The tundra biome is shrinking, and the boreal forest biome is moving northward, disrupting ecosystems.