State of the World 2015

Abstract

The rapid changes occurring in the Arctic region in the past 10, 20 years have become one of the biggest stories in climate change. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising higher than anywhere else on Earth-and more quickly as well. Sea ice has been melting in the summer season at an astonishing rate, and scientists are only beginning to understand the consequences of this thaw for global climate patterns. Many marine species are being affected dramatically by changes in the Arctic environment, with the plight of the polar bear in particular becoming popularized as a symbol of the negative consequences of Arctic warming and global climate change.