Arctic Council Scientists Find Arctic Warming Three Times the Global Average

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and Arctic Council, May 20

In its new climate report, the Arctic Council’s science working group, AMAP, detailed in its report to the May 20 Council Ministerial meeting that over the past 50 years, Arctic annual mean surface temperature increased by 3.1°C. This is three times higher than the increase in the global average during the same period. Key indicators of Arctic change, such as temperature, precipitation, snow cover, sea ice thickness and extent and permafrost thaw, also show rapid and widespread changes. Ice loss events, flooding, coastal erosion and extreme weather events are increasing in both frequency and intensity, with major impacts on Arctic communities and ecosystems. AMAP also notes that the effects of Arctic change are already felt far beyond the Arctic with rising sea levels, and feedback mechanisms in the Arctic leading to increased global emissions of greenhouse gases.

https://www.amap.no/documents/doc/arctic-climate-change-update-2021-key-trends-and-impacts.-summary-for-policy-makers/3508