The Arctic is the fastest-warming place on Earth, resulting in hugely detrimental effects that extend far beyond the polar region. Temperature increase is causing the permanently frozen ground, known as permafrost, to thaw, releasing locked-up greenhouse gases such as carbon and methane. But as more soil becomes available and temperatures increase, so, too, does vegetation, in what is known as Arctic greening. “Over time, we can clearly see a development to a greener tundra,” says Simone Lang, an Arctic terrestrial biologist at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), who looks after part of a 22-year-old research project called the International Tundra Experiment that explores the impacts of greening in Svalbard, as well as other Arctic vegetation projects.

But the picture is complicated, she says. In the short term, increased vegetation has an insulating effect that could buffer the effects of warming and protect the permafrost. This, Lang argues, needs to be modelled so we can understand and predict the future more accurately. But with the Arctic warming almost four times faster than other places, this process ultimately “cannot counteract the amplification and warming that we’re experiencing today”, she says.

The Arctic is at the forefront of the climate crisis, with the central basin of the Arctic Ocean warming three times faster than the global average. However, its hostile and challenging environment, particularly during the polar winter, means much of this region is left unstudied for almost half of the year. Now, the construction of Tara Polar Station, a new long-term drifting observatory and laboratory designed to study the central Arctic Ocean, is pushing the boundaries of research in the region. This vessel, specially adapted to the harsh polar conditions, will shelter scientists as they embark on a transpolar drift, monitoring the sea ice year-round over multiple years. The expedition will be crucial in better understanding the impact of climate change on the Arctic’s ecosystem and the change it would have on the rest of the planet.

Read more: A floating laboratory will uncover the secrets of Arctic winter

There was less sea ice covering the oceans in February of this year than at any other point on record, according to satellite measurements from the European Union’s climate service Copernicus.

“One of the consequences of a warmer world is melting sea ice, and the record or near-record low sea ice cover at both poles has pushed global sea ice cover to an all-time minimum,” said at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in a statement. Global average temperatures in February of this year rose 1.59°C above the pre-industrial average, making it the third-warmest February on record, according to the service.

These high temperatures impacted the global sea ice extent, which includes both the Arctic, where sea ice is currently near its annual maximum, and the Antarctic. The satellite record for both regions extends back to 1979.

In the Arctic, sea ice remained at 8 per cent below average throughout February, missing an area of ice roughly the size of the UK. This was the third consecutive month to set a new monthly record low in the Arctic.

This decline in the northern hemisphere has combined with a longer-term decline in Antarctic sea ice, seen over the past two years. Although Antarctic sea ice seemed to recover to near average levels in December of last year, it then rapidly declined again. In February, the ice reached its fourth-lowest extent on record for the month, remaining 26 per cent below average.

The record low ice in both hemispheres is “cause for serious concern”, said at the British Antarctic Survey in a statement. He says the lack of ice will harm polar ecosystems and expose ice shelves to more ocean water, which could accelerate melting and sea level rise.

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The missing ice also has an effect beyond the poles: less ice means less solar radiation will be reflected to space, adding to warming. It also could weaken global ocean currents that depend on the dense, salty water produced when sea ice forms.