It's happening fast- very fast.

事态发展地非常迅速
The northwest passage that connects America, Europe and Asia...

经过北极地区连接欧亚大陆和美洲大陆
Via the pole is opening up.

的西北通道已经开始断裂
The Arctic ice cap is melting.

北极的冰川开始融化
Under the effect of global warming,

受全球变暖的影响
The ice cap has lost 40% of its thickness in 40 years.

冰冠在40年间融化了40%
Its surface area in the summer shrinks year by year.

冰冠的面积每年夏天都在缩减
It could disappear before 2030.

并且很可能在2030年之前完全消失
Some predictions suggest 2015.

也有人预言到2015年冰冠就会消失
Soon these waters will be

不久之后这些冰就会在
free of ice several summer months a year.

夏天的几个月当中融化成水
The sunbeams that the ice sheet previously reflected back...

过去冰面可以反射阳光