As per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, average Arctic surface temperatures in 2016 were 3.5 degrees Celsius warmer than they were at the start of the 20th century. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet due to melting sea ice and thawing of carbon-rich Arctic permafrost. The Arctic sea ice is shrinking continuously and this year it is expected to decrease from 14.8m sq km to 4.2m sq km. Read more about this major concern.