Arctic ice is becoming so depleted that there could be practically no sea ice during the peak of summer as early as the next two years, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder (UC Boulder) have said.

The findings suggest that the first ice-free day in the Arctic could occur over 10 years earlier than previous projections, which focused on when the region would be ice-free for a month or more. The trend remains consistent under all future emission scenarios.

It is expected that by 2050, the Arctic could see an entire month without floating ice during September, when the region’s sea ice coverage is at its minimum. By the end of the century, the ice-free season could last several months a year, depending on future emissions scenarios. Under a high-emissions, or business-as-usual, scenario, the planet’s northernmost region could become consistently ice-free, even in some winter months.

As well as the implications on sea levels that a warming ocean will bring, local wildlife such...