Climate change in the Arctic |This article may be expanded with
text translated from the corresponding article in the German
Wikipedia. (March 2013)| Ongoing changes in the climate of the
Arctic include rising temperatures, loss of sea ice, and melting
of the Greenland ice sheet. The Arctic ocean will likely be free
of summer sea ice before the year 2100. Projections as to when
precisely this will occur vary between the years 2060–2080,
2030, and 2016. Because of the amplified response of the Arctic
to global warming, it is often seen as a high-sensitivity
indicator of climate change. Scientists also point to the
potential for release of methane from the Arctic region,
especially through the thawing of permafrost and methane
clathrates. Arctic climate changes are summarized in the IPCC
Fourth Assessment Report and the Arctic Climate Impact
Assessment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)'s Arctic Report Card presents annually updated, peer-
reviewed information on recent observations of e