Arctic sea ice is declining at the fastest rate in at least 1,500 years, according to data compiled by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency's annual Arctic Report Card revealed that the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world, with 2017 seeing a record low for the maximum sea ice extent. The report also showed that the decline in sea ice in 2017 was the largest in the 1,500-year record. The planet currently has the least amount of sea ice since satellite record-keeping began in the 1970s.