Global warming is causing a dramatic decrease in Arctic ice

Global warming is most dramatic in the Arctic. n10 In Alaska and western Canada, average winter temperatures have increased by as much as seven degrees Fahrenheit in the past 60 years.ⁿ¹¹ Scientists agree that atmospheric warming will continue for years to come, and that this warming will significantly affect ice coverage in the Arctic. Many experts believe the particularly sharp increase in warming and melting throughout the last few decades can be attributed to both human and natural causes.ⁿ¹² Because ice and snow are white, they have what is known as a "high albedo" and reflect most solar energy.ⁿ¹³ Albedo is a measure of how strongly an object reflects light from sources such as the sun. Water is darker and thus has a "low albedo" that absorbs most solar radiation. This creates a condition known as a "positive feedback loop" and, as a consequence, the Arctic region essentially amplifies any sort of warming trend.ⁿ¹⁴ The ocean exposed by melting ice soaks up more heat, which melts more ice and exposes more sea.ⁿ¹⁵ In the most extreme scenario, the positive feedback loop could cause extreme deterioration of Arctic sea ice, leaving the Arctic Ocean more like the Baltic Sea, covered by only a thin layer of seasonal ice in the winter.ⁿ¹⁶ At the current pace of retreat, transArctic voyages could be possible within the next five to ten years, but it remains extremely difficult to make an accurate prediction.ⁿ¹⁷