Real Ice Thickens Arctic Sea Ice by 50cm, Tests 6 Drainage Holes in Canada
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16
Real Ice Thickens Arctic Sea Ice by 50cm, Tests 6 Drainage Holes in Canada
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16
Summary
New measurements at Cambridge Bay showed Real Ice added about 50cm to 1.5-metre Arctic sea ice after pumping 50,000 tonnes of seawater onto the surface in January and February.
1,080 hours of pumping over a 450-metre-square test site turned insulating snow into slush and ice, helping cold air penetrate and leaving a white patch that satellites can now distinguish from surrounding meltwater.
Six 5cm drainage holes drilled into melt pools widened rapidly and brightened the area by exposing reflective ice below, an early-stage test that Real Ice says could extend ice life by about another week.
£3.5 million in UK government funding backs the project, which has local Inuit approval and support in Cambridge Bay, where residents say thinner ice is already disrupting travel, hunting and fishing.
Scientists still question whether sea-ice geoengineering can scale safely or matter climatically, with concerns over ecology, wildlife habitat and moral hazard even as Real Ice explores $5,000 underwater drones for wider deployment.
By creating 'brighter' artificial ice, are we saving the Arctic or introducing a new, unknown threat to its fragile ecosystem?
With a similar trial failing, can this Arctic experiment truly save the ice, or is it a costly distraction from cutting emissions?
Real Ice Project 2025-2026: Field Trials Show 50cm Arctic Sea Ice Thickening and 7–10 Day Melt Delay
Overview
Accelerating Arctic sea ice loss has created an urgent need for new climate solutions. The Real Ice project recently completed field trials near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, where about 50,000 tonnes of seawater were pumped onto the ice surface. This method led to a measurable increase in ice thickness—up to 50cm—and made the ice more reflective, helping to deflect solar radiation. These promising results suggest that actively thickening Arctic ice could help slow melting. The project’s success highlights the potential of innovative interventions to address the rapid decline of Arctic sea ice and sets the stage for further research and larger-scale efforts.