What will happen when the Arctic Ocean has no ice?

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s oceans, yet it plays a critical role in climate, environmental, and political systems. Its waters are vital for global ocean circulation. Arctic ocean–atmosphere heat exchange influences global weather patterns. Arctic sea ice regulates Earth’s temperature and the Arctic Ocean is home to diverse marine species and unique, fragile ecosystems.

Because of its strategic location, abundant natural resources, and emerging shipping routes, the Arctic Ocean is significant for security politics and global governance, in changing, intensifying and interlinked ways.

We now see climate change affect everything from the deep ocean to the atmosphere, creating cascading impacts on nature and society.

In addition, the Central Arctic Ocean is immensely remote—a deep ocean with polar nights and winter sea ice. Studying it is incredibly hard, not to mention expensive.

This is why a great deal of research—even basic research—remains to be done. We know too little, and now the ocean is changing, with unpredictable outcomes.

Shifts in the range of important commercial fish stocks, increased ocean heating and acidification, ecosystem changes of unknown proportions—all are in the realm of the possible, and we need to know in advance. Only then can we plan and take appropriate measures.