Could the Arctic be ice-free within a decade? What the latest science says

Could the Arctic be ice-free within a decade? What the latest science says

Benjamin Hughes

The Arctic could be “ice-free” in just a few years, scientists have found. Here’s what that means. 

The region, which sits at the northernmost point of the globe, is a unique ecosystem characterized by areas of permanent snow and ice. But, if the Earth continues to face damaging levels of emissions, the Arctic could see “summer days with practically no sea ice as early as the next couple of years,” a new peer-reviewed study out of the University of Colorado Boulder revealed.

“The first ice-free day in the Arctic could occur over 10 years earlier than previous projections,” the study, that was published Tuesday, added.

Melting ice in the Arctic sea
An aerial view of the partially melting glaciers as a polar bear, one of the species most affected by climate change, walks on a glacier in Svalbard and Jan Mayen, on July 15, 2023.

Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images


What is an ice-free day?

To scientists, an ice-free day does not mean there is absolutely no ice in the water. Instead, the term is measured by the quantity of ice in the water below a certain threshold.

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Simrin Singh

Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

Source: cbsnews.com