Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Graham Readfearn Environment and climate correspondent

Antarctica’s west coast missing an area of sea ice the size of France as temperatures peak 20C above average

The Bellingshausen Sea is missing about 650,000 sq kms of sea ice compared with the 1991 – 2010 average.
The Bellingshausen Sea is missing about 650,000 sq kms of sea ice compared with the 1991 – 2010 average. Photograph: Alex Ingle/Schmidt Ocean Institute

Antarctica’s west coast is missing an area of winter sea ice the size of France, sparking concerns for threatened penguins other marine life and global sea levels.

One expert said the loss of ice in the Bellingshausen Sea was “depressing” and the failure of ice to form could have intensified a heatwave over the continent’s peninsula last week that saw daytime temperatures peak at 15.4C which is more than 20C above average.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.