‘Extreme situation’: Antarctic sea ice hits record low

Sea ice helps protect the glaciers and ice caps that would cause massive sea level rise when lost, climate scientists warn

The area of sea ice around Antarctica has hit a record low, with scientists reporting “never having seen such an extreme situation before”. The ice extent is expected to shrink even further before this year’s summer melting season ends.

The impact of the climate crisis in melting sea ice in the Arctic is clear in the records that stretch back to 1979. Antarctic sea ice varies much more from year to year, which has made it harder to see an effect from global heating.