Melting of Arctic sea ice has surprisingly slowed down

22-Aug-2025

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The melting of Arctic sea ice has slowed over the past 20 years, even as global temperatures continue to rise. A study published in Geophysical Research Letters reports that there has been no statistically significant decline in summer sea ice since September 2005.

Researchers found that sea ice between 2005 and 2024 declined by 0.35 and 0.29 million square kilometres per decade, respectively. In contrast, for the period 1979-2024, the decline was much steeper, 0.78 and 0.79 million square kilometres per decade, highlighting a clear slowdown in the last two decades.

The finding is surprising, scientists say, because temperatures have been rising globally due to increased burning of fossil fuels. They attribute the slowdown to natural variations in ocean currents, which may have temporarily offset the impact of rising global temperatures on Arctic ice.

“Summer sea ice conditions in the Arctic are at least 33% lower than they were at the beginning of the satellite record nearly 50 years ago,” said Dr. Mark England, who led the study while at the University of Exeter. “Given this—and the indisputable fact of human-driven climate change—it may seem surprising to find a temporary slowdown in Arctic sea ice loss.”