THE LOSS OF ARCTIC SEA ICE OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES HAS BEEN DRAMATIC PARTICULARLY DURING THE SUMMER SEASON WHEN SEA-ICE EXTENT HAS DECLINED BY ALMOST HALF AND SEA-ICE VOLUME BY ABOUT TWO-THIRDS. ICE-FREE SUMMERS BY THE MIDDLE OR END OF THE CENTURY ARE NOW SIMULATED UNDER BUSINESS-AS-USUAL SCENARIOS IN MOST STATE-OF-THE-ART CLIMATE MODELS ILLUSTRATING THAT THE ARCTIC WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FAST-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. THESE CLIMATIC CHANGES ARE HAVING PROFOUND IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN THE ARCTIC AND FURTHER AFIELD. THE LOSS IN SEA-ICE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO AN INCREASE IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN RANGING FROM INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RESOURCE EXTRACTION AND SHIPPING TO TOURISM AND NATIONAL DEFENSE WHILE LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE BECOMING MORE EXPOSED TO GROWING HAZARDS SUCH AS COASTAL EROSION.