I found it interesting to read that the average Antarctic sea ice cover has shown steady gains over the past 30 years, while over the same time frame Arctic sea ice cover has decreased, resulting in a steady or even slightly increased average global ice cover.

The causes for the Antarctic ice increase are hypothesized to include:
1. A decrease in upward ocean heat transport i.e. less heat is being carried up by ocean convection to melt sea ice; and,
2. The effects of the hole in the ozone layer.

To make matters even more interesting, it is forecast by the ozone layer theorists that the hole in the ozone layer is being repaired, and that once it disappears by around the end of the 21st Century, Antarctic ice cover will decrease.

The foregoing seems to provide some evidence that the hysterically feared increases in sea levels may not actually occur until at least the end of the 21st Century.

However, scientists seem pretty sure that the Arctic ice will continue the 30 year downward trend, notwithstanding that the past 2 years have demonstrated what they call a temporary slowdown.

As a layperson I find the subject interesting but by no means crystal clear. But the evidence does seem to point clearly to a thinning of the Arctic ice and a very strong possibility that the thinning trend will continue and perhaps even accelerate - that is, unless the very recent temporary slowdown actually turns out not to be temporary.