Thursday 20 March 2008

Although there is more sea ice in the Arctic Ocean this winter, for the first time on record, the North Pole is now covered by 'younger ice'. This ice is generally thinner and much more vulnerable to melting in the summer months. Increased wind in the Arctic is also driving sea ice out of the Arctic and reducing sea ice cover. One recent study predicts that we could lose summer sea ice in the Arctic within the next five years, the sea ice data this winter makes this prediction seem more plausible than ever before. Any further loss of sea ice will add further pressure on precious wildlife such as polar bears, which rely on sea ice to hunt.

Emily Lewis Brown, Marine Climate Change officer at WWF-UK explained: "Melting of Arctic sea ice endangers arctic ecosystems and wildlife. The Arctic also plays a huge role in regulating our global climate and loss of sea ice speeds up warming and climate change. The loss of sea ice around Greenland may speed up the loss of the glaciers on Greenland, which alone hold enough water to raise sea levels by 6m, over time."

"The melting of summer sea ice in the Arctic has been way beyond the expectations predicted in the models of sea ice loss. We need a better understanding of the speed and extent of change which is underway due to climate change, but most importantly, it is vital that the world reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere urgently." Lewis-Brown explained. "The UK government must commit to a Climate Change Bill with at least 80% reductions in CO₂ emissions, including aviation and shipping. The delivery of the UK Marine Bill will help us manage our seas to help our seas change more naturally as climate impacts deepen in the UK," she concluded.