Arctic sea ice shrinks to near record low
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Summer sea ice in the Arctic shrank in 2020 to the second lowest level on record, triggered by global warming along with natural forces, according to U.S. scientists
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Arctic Circle
RUSSIA
North Pole


CANADA Greenland (DEN)
Alaska (USA) Beaufort Sea
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SEA ICE COMPARISON

2012 Sea ice minimum (reached on Sep 17)

2020 Sea ice minimum (reached on Sep 15)

Area where sea ice occurred in both 2012 and 2020
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Laptev Sea
North Pole
Greenland Sea
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SEA ICE EXTENT
(for Sep 15, 2020)
Summertime low of 3.74 million sq km (1.44 million sq miles)

Melt is second lowest in 42-year-old satellite record, reinforcing long-term downward trend in ice extent

Lowest extent was in 2012, when ice shrank to 3.4 million sq km (1.3 million sq miles)

1981-2010 average ice extent (for Sep 15)
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Sources: Associated Press, National Snow and Ice Data Centre
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