Sea levels rising and Arctic ice at a record low, global report says

Arctic ice levels have reached record lows, according to a new report on the world's oceans and the impact of climate change.

Between 1979 and 2020, the average amount of sea ice extent, the area of ocean where there is at least some ice, in the Arctic has decreased by a surface area roughly equal to the size of Greenland.

The findings can be found in the fifth edition of the Copernicus Ocean State Report, published last week in the Journal of Operational Oceanography. This year's report draws on analysis by over 120 scientific experts from more than 30 European institutions. The annual publication presents a comprehensive summary on the current state of Earth's oceans.

"Climate change, pollution, and overexploitation have placed unprecedented pressures on the ocean, requiring the urgent need for sustainable measures for governance, adaptation and management in order to secure the various life support roles the ocean offers for human well-being," Karina von Schuckmann, who chaired the report, said in a news release.

"Scientifically sound knowledge derived from high-quality ocean products and delivered by ocean services is critical to stimulate transformative change. Considering the ocean as a fundamental factor in the Earth system and embracing the multidimensional and interconnected nature of the ocean is the bedrock for a sustainable future."