Record Low Sea Ice Coverage Linked to Climate Change

The global extent of sea ice has reached an unprecedented low, as reported by the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union. The measurements indicate that the area of sea ice shrank to its lowest level for February since records began in 1979. This decline continued throughout the month, remaining below the previous record low set in February 2023.

In the Arctic, the sea ice extent was reported to be 8% below the long-term average for this time of year. This marked the third consecutive month of recorded lows for the respective months, highlighting a persistent trend of diminishing ice coverage.

In the Antarctic, the sea ice area also saw a significant reduction, reaching the fourth-lowest extent for February, which was 26% below the average. The absolute minimum for this region typically occurs in March, as the summer season comes to an end.

February 2025 was noted for being the third warmest February globally, with temperatures averaging 0.63 degrees Celsius above the norms established from 1991 to 2020. This month also registered 1.59 degrees above the estimated global average temperature from 1850 to 1900. According to Copernicus, 19 of the last 20 months have experienced temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial average. The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, set a goal to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels.

In Europe, the average temperature over land in February was 0.44 degrees higher than the corresponding average from 1991 to 2020. Although this increase was notable, it did not place February among the top ten warmest months on record for Europe.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service compiles monthly reports on air temperature, sea ice coverage, and the water cycle, utilizing data collected from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations worldwide, along with model simulations.