Arctic Sea Ice on Track for Record Low Levels This Year

Earlier this year, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in the Arctic reached the unhappy milestone of 400 parts-per-million. Now, information coming from the National Snow & Ice Data Center indicates that this year’s Arctic sea ice is on pace to shrink to its smallest levels ever.
One of the clearest examples of the effects of global warming and climate change is the receding of the Arctic ice cap. The NSIDC indicates that this year’s sea ice is already slightly smaller than it was in 2010, which was the previous record for this time of year. It is also smaller than it was in 2007, which was the year that had the ice cap shrink to its smallest size in September of that year.
Starting the summer with the smallest Arctic cap on record is not an auspicious sign, for the Arctic or for the planet.
image: NSIDC