The University of Colorado at Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center released a statement saying that arctic ice "melting and retreat trends are accelerating." Ted Scambos of center said, "one common thread is that Arctic temperatures over the ice, ocean and surrounding land have increased in recent decades."
The Researchers said Arctic ice has been retreating at a rate of more than 8 percent per decade - though good records only go back about three decades. Furthermore, they suggest the melting may contribute to even higher arctic temperatures and further acceleration of the melting in the future. This is because the bright white ice tends to reflect more of the sun's radiation and as more of the dark ocean is exposed to absorb more heat it kicks off a spiral on increasing temperatures.
We already know that the Gulf Stream conveyor that carries tropical warmth across the Atlantic to Northwest Europe is under threat from climate change. As the ice melt increases it could deflect the Gulf Stream South or even stop it. That would spell much colder weather in the UK and Northern Europe and potentially desert-like conditions for Spain and the Mediterranean.
