‘Uncharted territory’ in Arctic warming


The Arctic has been warmer over the last five years than at any time since records began in 1900, and the region is warming at twice the rate as the rest of the planet, according to a report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
An official with the agency said that increasing air and ocean temperatures were “pushing the Arctic into uncharted territory.”
Impact: The warming is shrinking sea ice and wreaking havoc on Arctic life and on weather around the world, the report found. For example, a bitter cold spell in Europe early this year is attributed to a jet stream slackened by warmer Arctic air.
Other effects: By midcentury, cargo ships may be able to pass directly over the North Pole, even under moderate warming.