Ice-free summers in Arctic possible within next decade, scientists say

The first ice-free day in the Arctic could occur more than 10 years earlier than previous projections, the study finds. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Arctic could have summer days with practically no sea ice within the next decade due to emissions from burning fossil fuels, a study has found.

This would transform the unique habitat, home to polar bears, seals and walruses, from a “white Arctic” to a “blue Arctic” during the summer months, scientists said. The calculation used for “ice free” means less than 1m sq km, in which case the Arctic would be mostly water.