Richard Levy, a principal scientist at GNS Science, warned the planet was losing an important defence in the battle against climate change.
Sea ice helps cool the planet, as it reflects the sun's rays.
"The more white that we have covering the surface of the earth, the more the sunlight is able to reflect back to space," Levy said. "So, if we lose sea ice, the planet absorbs more heat, which means it heats up even more, which has a feedback on the melting of the ice sheet itself."
