Arctic could have ice-free summers by 2030, report says

The Arctic will be ice-free in most late summers as soon as 2030 and that could have an effect on animal habitats and national security, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

Record low extents of Arctic sea ice in 2012 focused scientific and policy attention on climate changes in the high north, and to the implications of projected ice-free seasons in the Arctic within decades, the report says.

This opens opportunities for transport through the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route, extraction of potential oil and gas resources, and expanded fishing and tourism, according to the report.