The Arctic ice cap has collapsed at an unprecedented rate this summer and levels of sea ice in the region now stand at a record low, scientists have warned. Experts said they were “stunned” by the loss of ice, with an area almost twice as big as Britain disappearing in the last week alone.

So much ice has melted this summer that the north-west passage across the top of Canada is fully navigable, and observers say the north-east passage along Russia’s Arctic coast could open later this month. If the increased rate of melting continues, the summertime Arctic could be totally free of ice by 2030.

Mark Serreze, an Arctic specialist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre at Colorado University in Denver which released the figures, said: “It’s amazing. It’s simply fallen off a cliff and we’re still losing ice.” The Arctic has now lost about a third of its ice since satellite measurements began 30 years ago, and the rate of loss has accelerated sharply since 2002.

Dr Serreze said: “If you asked me a couple of years ago when the Arctic could lose all of its ice, then I would have said 2100, or 2070 maybe. But now I think that 2030 is a reasonable estimate. It seems that the Arctic is going to be a very different place within our lifetimes, and certainly within our children’s lifetimes.”


One Comment

  • Go to tvnewslies and check out the bush attacks on the enviroment and bush promises kept sections.
    Usurper-in-thief bu$h of the bu$h/cheney usurpation has been attacking the enviroment since he was usurper governor of Texas. Usurper bu$h’s first day of usurpation in the whitehouse saw immediant attacks on the enviroment proving at least TWO of his campaign “promises” were LIES. The ozone layer was repairing itself in ’99 and now after 6 years of attacks by the bu$h/cheney usurpation et al it is bigger than ever. Global warming is the sort of thing that by the time you see obivious signs then it’s going to get a lot worse real quick. I believe the WORST projections are underestimating the situation. That’s also one reason the usurpation has been shipping our industries overseas. To get countries such as China to produce even more unregulated pollution than they already were. AND WAKE UP PEOPLE, THE “FEDERAL” RESERVE IS TRYING TO ENGINEER A FINANCIAL CRISIS IN AMERICA TO CREATE A FASCIST POLICE STATE. THE MORTAGE CRISIS IS NO ACCIDENT. IT IS A VERY DILIBERATE ATTACK ON AMERICA. SEE:

    http://groups.msn.com/impeachbushcheneyusurpation

    IT IS GOING TO TAKE A COMBINATION OF MIRACLES TO SAVE US!

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