Last ice-covered parts of summertime Arctic Ocean vulnerable to climate change IMAGE: The study looked at the Wandel Sea north of Greenland, which is inside what's known as the "Last Ice Area " of the Arctic Ocean. Image: Schweiger et al./Communications Earth & Environment In a rapidly changing Arctic, one area might serve as a refuge - a place that could continue to harbor ice-dependent species when conditions in nearby areas become inhospitable. This region north of Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago has been termed the Last Ice Area. But research led by the University of Washington suggests that parts of this area are already showing a decline in summer sea ice.