Arctic sea ice falls to second lowest level in ‘crazy’ year

Campaigners called for climate action and ocean protection as Arctic sea ice fell to its second lowest level on record Picture: Daniella Zalcman / Greenpeace

Arctic sea ice has melted to the second lowest level on record after a “crazy” year of heat waves and forest fires in the region, scientists said.

The extent of the sea ice in the Arctic at what is thought to be the end of the annual summer melt was 1.44 million square miles (3.74 million square kilometres), the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in the US said.