Global sea ice will hit a new record in February

In February 2025, the global extent of the sea ice was aimed at unprecedented levels and marked a record low that has alarmed scientists and climate experts worldwide. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) of the European Union, this decline is a strong indicator of the ongoing warming trend that is attributed to greenhouse gas emissions (THG). The effects of this event are profound because it underlines the accelerating effects of climate change on polar regions and beyond.

The numbers behind the decline

The extent of the Arctic sea ice was on average from 1991–2020 in February 1991–2020. This significant waste can be connected to an extreme heat anomaly, in which the temperatures in certain parts of the Arctic rose above 20 ° C above the normal value. Such anomalies represent a worrying trend that has been observed in recent years.

In contrast, Antarctic sea ice was also exposed to a drastic reduction, the extent of about 26% below the same historical average was recorded. This deviation is one of the most extensive observed in recent years and emphasizes urgency to tackle climate change.

February 2025 was referred to as the third warming February worldwide, with the temperatures on average 1.59 C over pre -industrial level. This persistent heat is not just statistics; It was associated with various extreme weather events worldwide, including tropical cyclones and unusual temperature fluctuations in different regions. The networking of these phenomena shows how climate change is not just an environmental problem, but a global crisis that affects weather patterns and ecosystems.

The alarming feedback loop

One of the most worrying aspects of this record on sea ice is his contribution to what scientists call ice-albedo feedback. The ice of course reflects the sunlight and helps to cool the surface of the planet. However, when the ice disappears, darker ocean surfaces are exposed that absorb more warmth instead of reflecting them. This process accelerates global warming and creates a self -reinforcing cycle that leads to even more melt.

The climate researcher Mika Rantannen from the Finnish Meteorological Institute explained that this feedback loop intensifies climate change and raises concerns about critical threshold values ​​regarding the effort of the effort. The loss of sea ice not only contributes to rising temperatures, but also disturbs ecosystems and animal habitats in polar regions and represents iconic species such as polar bears and seals. These animals rely on stable ice conditions for hunting and breeding. When your habitat decreases, your survival becomes more and more precarious.

Of course, changes to the polar ecosystems can have wave effects on global weather patterns and agriculture and water supply can influence far beyond the Arctic region. In other words,