In the worst scenario, sea ice coverage around the Peninsula could plummet by 20 per cent by 2100. Like taking the ice cubes out of a cold drink, massive loss of sea ice will accelerate ocean warming, eroding the glaciers and ice shelves that threaten catastrophic sea level rise. These maps show the changes in sea ice coverage under a low (top), medium–high (middle), and very high (bottom) emissions scenario. The dark blue shows areas of more extreme ice lossScientists have laid bare Antarctica's worst–case climate scenario, as scientists predict that sea ice coverage could shrink by 20 per cent. However, krill are entirely dependent on sea ice, so their population shrinks along with the ice.

Source: Daily Mail February 20, 2026 12:49 UTC