Secretary of State John Kerry will visit the Arctic Circle next week for key ministerial talks on climate change amid global concerns about rising seas and accelerating ice melt.

America’s priorities as the incoming chairman of the body “include addressing the impacts of climate change, Arctic Ocean safety, security and stewardship and improving economic and living conditions for people in the Arctic,” said acting state department spokesperson Marie Harf.

It comes amid further bad news for the Arctic after US officials last month said the Arctic sea ice had reached its lowest winter point since satellite observations began in the late 1970s.

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