Scientists puzzled by slow Arctic ice melt despite rising global temperatures

Amid rising global warming and visible effects of climate change in the form of irregular weather patterns including storms, hurricanes, heatwaves and flooding, a puzzling phenomenon in the Arctic has left scientists baffled.

With rising global temperatures, the ice in the arctic is expected to melt faster. However, researchers have observed a contrasting phenomenon.

An analysis by experts from the University of Exeter has revealed that the Arctic Sea ice has been melting at a slower rate for the past 20 years.

Lead author of the study Dr Mark England revealed, “Summer sea ice conditions in the arctic are about 33% less than at the beginning of the satellite record nearly 50 years ago.”

A total of 2.9 million cubic kilometers of ice was lost per decade from 1979 to 2024, however, the data from 2010 to 2024 revealed that ice melting rate was reduced to 0.4 million cubic kilometers per decade.

This marks a significant decrease, almost seven times lesser than the previous rate.

Despite this being good news, scientists warned that this phenomenon is short term and could last for only five or 10 years, adding, “When it ends it is likely to be followed by faster than average sea ice decline”.

Experts analysed the data from 1979, since the satellite records started, till date and observed a slowed of 55 per cent in sea ice melting rate.

Dr England expressed that the phenomena is completely consistent with climate model simulations and is likely due to natural climate variability superimposed on the human-driven long term trend.