Arctic Sea Ice
* Satellite measurements show that Arctic sea ice extent has decreased at a rate of 13.2 percent per decade since September 1979.
* If sea ice continues to shrink at the current rate, the Arctic Ocean could be completely ice-free in summer by the middle of this century.
Greenland Ice Sheet
* Greenland is losing ice six times faster than it was just 25 years ago.
* The ice sheet is now losing more than 267 billion tons of ice per year.
* If all of the ice sheet were to melt, it would cause global sea levels to rise by 7.2 meters (24 feet).
Antarctic Ice Sheet
* While Antarctica is not melting as quickly as the Arctic, the ice sheet is undergoing rapid changes.
* Some Antarctic glaciers are thinning, flowing faster, and breaking off into the ocean.
* If the entire Antarctic ice sheet were to melt, it would cause global sea levels to rise by more than 50 meters (164 feet).
The accelerated melting of the polar ice caps is one of the most urgent climate change issues the world faces. With this melting comes devastating impacts on sea level rise, wildlife habitats, and human populations.
