As climate change continues to grow, humans are changing the Arctic in unexpected — and potentially irreparable — ways.

Brian Kahn reports for Climate Central that ever-increasing global warming is “altering the essence of the [Arctic] region,  melting ice on land and sea, driving more intense wildfires, altering ocean circulation and dissolving permafrost.” Among these dramatic expected changes is the disappearance of sea ice by the 2030s.

An asssessment report authored by 90 Arctic experts warns of the growing risks at hand: “With each additional year of data, it becomes increasingly clear that the Arctic as we know it is being replaced by a warmer, wetter, and more variable environment,” the scientists wrote. “This transformation has profound implications for people, resources and ecosystems worldwide.”