The loss of summer sea ice in the Arctic is now very likely before 2050, new research shows, even if the carbon emissions driving the climate crisis are cut rapidly.
The result has alarmed scientists but they said slashing greenhouse gases remained vital as this would determine whether Arctic summer ice vanished permanently or could recover over time. If emissions remain very high, there is a risk the Arctic could be ice-free even in the dark, cold winter months, a possibility described as “catastrophic”.
The last global scientific assessment of Arctic ice was in 2013. It predicted a complete loss of ice in the month of September, when it reaches its annual minimum, would occur only if CO2 emissions from human activities remained high. The new results are based on 40 of the latest computer models and is the best assessment to date of the fate of the Arctic ice.
Read more at the Guardian
