The warming Arctic is causing sea ice to shrink, which is having a devastating impact on polar bears. The bears rely on the ice to hunt and eat during the summer, but as the ice disappears, their survival is threatened. The Arctic has been warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and experts predict that the region could be ice-free in the summer by the 2030s. The loss of sea ice is causing polar bears to shrink in size, and a higher proportion of cubs are dying before their first birthdays. The plight of the polar bear is seen as a warning signal for the rest of the planet, and scientists are calling for urgent action to curb climate change.