Arctic warms at more than twice global rate in hottest year on record
Arctic experiences its hottest year on record – why scientists are worried
- The Arctic experienced its hottest year on record between October 2024 and September 2025, warming at more than twice the global average.
- The Arctic Report Card 2025, released by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, highlights that the region's 10 warmest years have all occurred in the past decade.
- Key changes include record precipitation, the lowest winter sea ice extent in 47 years, and a more than 95 per cent decline in multi-year sea ice since the 1980s.
- Warming oceans, a process known as 'Atlantification', are causing significant biological shifts, while thawing permafrost is creating 'rusting rivers' in Arctic Alaska, threatening ecosystems and water supplies.
- Scientists warn that these rapid Arctic changes have global implications, potentially weakening ocean circulation systems and influencing weather patterns across Europe and North America.