Sea ice, which has thinned by 15%-20% over the past 30 years, is expected to continue to decline and could disappear altogether in summer. This would have a devastating effect on many arctic species, including the polar bear. Other indicators of climate change include the widespread melting of glaciers, thawing permafrost, declining snow cover, and increased precipitation, much of it in the form of rain.

The report attributes much of this change to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. It notes that even if emissions are reduced immediately, the world will face some degree of climate change and will feel its impacts for centuries. The council recommends two sets of actions in response to these trends: mitigation (by reducing emissions) and adaptation.

The Arctic Council is an inter-governmental forum comprised of representatives from eight arctic nations: Canada, Denmark/Greenland/Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. In addition to the work of scientists and other experts, the report includes the observations of indigenous people, who have coined a word for the startling weather patterns that they’re observing: Uggianaqtuq, which means “to behave unexpectedly.”

PBI’s many research projects on behalf of the bears, from maternity den studies to population surveys, take on even greater significance in view of this assessment.

A copy of the report is posted at http://amap.no/acia. see the following articles from the PBI Newsletter: "Climate Change: One Scientist’s View." and "Polar Bears, Sea Ice, and Climate Change."