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Arctic sea ice (CLIM 010) - Assessment published Sep 2008: The extent of the sea ice in the Arctic has declined at an accelerating rate, especially in summer. The record low ice cover in September 2007 was roughly half the size of the normal minimum extent in the 1950s. The summer ice is projected to continue to shrink and may even disappear at the height of the summer melt season in the coming decades. There will still be substantial ice in winter. Reduced polar ice will speed up global warming and is expected to affect ocean circulation and weather patterns. Species specialised for life in the ice are threatened. Less ice will ease access to the Arctic's resources. Oil and gas exploration, shipping, tourism and fisheries will offer new economic opportunities, but also increase pressures and risks to the Arctic environment.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Arctic sea ice
Greenland ice sheet (CLIM 009) - Assessment published Sep 2008: The Greenland ice sheet changed in the 1990s from being in near mass balance to losing about 100 billion tonnes of ice per year. Ice losses may have doubled again by 2005. Accelerated flow of outlet glaciers to the sea accounts for more of the ice loss than melting. The contribution of ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet to global sea-level rise is estimated at 0.14-0.28 mm/year for the period 1993-2003 and has since increased. In the long term, melting ice sheets have the largest potential to increase sea level. No reliable predictions of the future of the ice sheets can yet be made; the processes causing the faster movement of the glaciers are poorly understood and there is a lack of long-term observations.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Greenland ice sheet
Lake and river ice cover (CLIM 020) - Assessment published Sep 2008: The duration of ice cover in the northern hemisphere has shortened at a mean rate of 12 days per century, resulting from an average 5.7 days later ice cover and 6.3 days earlier ice break-up. The strongest trends in northern Europe are in the timing of ice break-up which is consistent with the fastest warming in winter and spring. The ice cover of lakes with mean winter temperature close to zero is much more dependent on temperature change than lakes in colder regions such as northern Scandinavia.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Lake and river ice cover
Ice road: Environmental Atlas of Europe - Finland: If you want to go to the island of Hailuoto in the Gulf of Bothnia during winter, it’s faster to take the 8 km ice road rather than go by ferry. But the ice has to reach 70 cm in thickness before it’s safe enough to drive over.
Located in The Environmental Atlas › … › Ice road › Video
Area of Greenland ice sheet melting 1979-2007: Note: The maps show the area of the Greenland ice sheet with at least one day of surface melting in summer. The diagram shows the cumulated melt area, which is defined as the annual total sum of every daily ice sheet melt area. For example, if a particular area is melting on 20 days in a given year, it is counted 20 times.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Understanding climate change - key fact 5: The third lowest minimum of Arctic summer sea ice occurred in September 2010.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Understanding climate change — SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key facts
Change in September Arctic sea-ice extent: The 'extent' column includes the area near the pole not imaged by the sensor
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Area of multi-year Arctic sea ice in March 1957-2007: Note: The area of thick, multi-year sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is decreasing
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Regional changes of mean sea ice draft in the Arctic: Note: Sea ice draft is the subsurface fraction of the ice thickness.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Average extent of arctic sea ice in March and September 1979-2007: Arctic sea ice grows to its greatest yearly size in March and melts to its lowest size in September
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs