The Arctic is heating up nearly four times faster than the whole planet, study finds

Temperatures in Longyearbyen, Norway above the Arctic Circle hit a new record above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in July 2020. The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the planet as a whole since 1979, a new study finds. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The Arctic is heating up nearly four times faster than the Earth as a whole, according to new research. The findings are a reminder that the people, plants and animals in polar regions are experiencing rapid, and disastrous, climate change.

Scientists previously estimated that the Arctic is heating up about twice as fast as the globe overall. The new study finds that is a significant underestimate of recent warming. In the last 43 years, the region has warmed 3.8 times faster than the planet as a whole, the authors find.