21% More Arctic Ice Than in 2012

[jc456]

Note that the vertical scale here is not an anomaly but absolute total ice volume. Note that the bottom of the vertical scale is ZERO.

Crick, let's supposed the arctic sea ice does melt. what will happen if it melts? It's like, so what, what's going to happen to the world if the sea ice melts?

 

[Crick]

The Earth's albedo will be increased. Several species of mammals will be severely impacted and could go extinct. Several marine species, both pelagic and benthic will suffer. There will be a likely impact on the AMOC with concurrent effects on equatorial marine species (starvation) and weather effects. Shakun's work currently being discussed in another thread indicate that a cessation of the AMOC is a likely cause of the CO2 release that ended the Earth's last glaciation.

 

[Crick]

Experts said Arctic sea ice would melt entirely by September 2016 - they were wrong

No, they didn't. They said it COULD melt as EARLY as 2016. And no one ever suggested a specific month.