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From Common Dreams
Summary
The Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported alarming declines in sea ice levels across both the Arctic and Antarctic, marking February 2025 as a critical month in the context of climate change. Arctic sea ice reached its lowest extent on record, at 8% below average, while Antarctic sea ice also plummeted to its fourth-lowest monthly extent, 26% below average.
These changes are indicative of a broader trend of rising global temperatures, which have reached 1.59°C above pre-industrial levels—making February 2025 the third warmest on record.
This unprecedented loss of sea ice has significant implications for global climate patterns, ocean currents, and marine ecosystems. Experts warn that the continuing trend of low sea ice will exacerbate global warming and highlight the urgent need for climate action, regardless of political agendas.
Highlights
- 🌍 Record Low Sea Ice: February 2025 witnessed the lowest Arctic sea ice levels in recorded history.
- ❄️ Antarctic Decline: Antarctic sea ice hit the fourth-lowest monthly extent, 26% below average.
- 📈 Rising Temperatures: Global average temperatures increased by 1.59°C, marking the third warmest February on record.
- ⏳ Consecutive Records: February marked the third month in a row with record low sea ice levels in the Arctic.
- 🌊 Impact on Ocean Currents: The loss of sea ice could lead to the collapse of crucial ocean currents impacting marine life.
- 🚨 Urgency for Climate Action: Climate experts stress the need for immediate action against greenhouse gas emissions.
- 🏛️ Political Response: Recent anti-climate actions by the U.S. administration underscore the tension between politics and environmental responsibility.
“The environment does not care about politics. Keep spewing greenhouse gases and face the consequences.”
European Union officials said the Copernicus Climate Change Service had issued its latest “stark reminder of why climate action is urgent” when the bloc’s program announced that it observed less sea ice covering the Earth’s oceans last month than at any other point in recorded history.
In the Arctic, sea ice reached its lowest monthly extent on record, at 8% below average, in early February, and it remained below the previous record for the rest of the month.
The oceans were missing an area of ice roughly the size of the United Kingdom last month, according to Copernicus (C3S), and the finding was not an anomaly in recent sea ice observations.
February marked the third consecutive month in which record low sea ice levels for the corresponding month were observed in the Arctic.
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Read the full post at Common Dreams.
