2030s Arctic may experience summer days with near-zero sea ice, a decade earlier than projected, due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests the Arctic could experience summer days with almost no sea ice as early as the next couple of years, potentially a decade earlier than previously projected. By mid-century, the Arctic is likely to see an entire month without floating ice during September, when the region's sea ice coverage is at its minimum. By the end of the century, the ice-free season could last several months a year, depending on future emissions scenarios. Greenhouse gas emissions are the main drivers of sea ice loss, and while an ice-free Arctic is inevitable, future emissions levels will determine how often the conditions occur.
March 05, 2024
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