In the Arctic, where the sea ice normally reaches its maximum extent in March, new record low levels have been measured since December. In February, it was eight percent below average.
In Antarctica, the sea ice coverage was 26 percent lower than average, the fourth lowest figure ever recorded.
According to the report, the region may have reached its annual summer minimum by the end of the month, and if this is confirmed in March, it would be the second lowest on record.
The current record-low global sea ice extent revealed by the Copernicus analysis is very worrying since it reflects major changes in both the Arctic and Antarctica, says Simon Josey, professor at the National Oceanography Centre in the UK, to AFP.
A reduced ice cover has consequences for the weather, people, and ecosystems globally.
When reflective snow and ice give way to water, the same amount of solar energy that was reflected back into space is instead absorbed by the water, accelerating global warming.
