The Arctic could be free of sea ice during September as early as the 2030s, according to a scientific paper, as climate change opens up year-round shipping routes in the region.
The research published on Tuesday inNature Communications concluded that an ice-free Arctic in September would happen a decade earlier than previously projected.
The changes have implications for Russia, which wants to open up the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to year-round shipping, even though ice conditions from January to May are currently difficult.
