Researchers believe the Arctic will be completely free of summer ice within a generation due to global warming, The Wall Street Journal reports. The consequences of the disappearing sea ice are massive: the Arctic ice cap reflects the sun’s rays, which keeps earth’s polar regions cool and moderates global temperatures.

In addition, the shrinking sea ice is increasing the pressure on polar bears in the region. In May, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne listed polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, citing this loss of sea ice as a current and future threat to wildlife habitats.

Ice and snow reflect the sun’s heat, but open water absorbs more heat which speeds up warming and raises sea levels. The more ice that melts during summer, the less ice is recovered in winter, writes USA Today.