"....things are happening more quickly than we had
expected," said British Antarctic Survey Director
Chris Rapley.

Now remember, the area of the ice cap is shrinking
at an accelerated rate, 27,000 sq. miles a year and
and it's on the rise. That means that there is way
less than 50% of the ice that was there in 1960.

At some point all of this melt water is expected to
shut down the thermalhaline ocean circulation,
and you know what happens then.?

Maybe you don't want to know.

References:
Ice cap getting thinner, 4/10/07
www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp

Arctic Region As Global Warming Barometer, 1/25/07
www.terradaily.com/reports/Arctic_Region_As_Global_Warming_Barometer_999.html