The spotlight is on the Arctic region. Crumbling glaciers, thawing permafrost and the vanishing sea ice cover are phenomena frequently discussed in the media. They are clear signs of the intense warming of the Arctic ecosystem. The dramatic decline in sea ice has consequences not only for the microorganisms, plants, animals and peoples that live there, but also for the climate at the middle latitudes. Inspired by their years of scientific research and experience in the field, the authors pres...