Arctic's Record-Hot Summer Raises Alarming Sea Level Threats, Reveals NOAA Report

The Arctic experienced its warmest summer on record, leading to wildfires, melting glaciers, and higher sea levels that threaten coastal cities worldwide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2023 Arctic Report Card. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe due to human-caused climate change. The report also highlighted more frequent extreme weather events with global impacts, such as the extreme wildfire season in northern Canada. Greenland lost another 350 trillion pounds of ice, contributing to rising seas. The report warns that irreversible climate harms caused by an overheating Arctic will continue to affect North America and Eurasia. Additionally, the report noted an increase in Arctic greening, which could accelerate climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide.