Arctic warming four times faster than rest of Earth: study

While there is a long-held consensus among scientists that the Arctic is warming quickly, estimates vary according to the timeframe studied and the definition of what constitutes the geographic area of the Arctic. Photo: AFP

The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet over the last 40 years, according to research published Aug 11 that suggests climate models are underestimating the rate of polar heating.

The United Nations' climate science panel said in a special report in 2019 that the Arctic was warming "by more than double the global average" due to a process known as Arctic amplification.