The Arctic Report Card 2007 is introduced as a means of presenting clear, reliable and concise information on recent environmental conditions in the Arctic, relative to historical times series records. Surface temperatures in 2006 remain warm but the hot spot has shifted from eastern Siberia to Europe. Sea ice extents remain at near-record minimums. Treelines are advancing northward. Ocean temperatures at depth and permafrost temperatures are stabilizing. Some goose and reindeer populations are increasing, others decreasing. Implications of melt on the Greenland ice sheet remains controversial. Current status of these topics is described in a series of expert essays.

The Report Card 2007 was prepared by an international team of scientists and was peer-reviewed by topical experts nominated by the US Polar Research Board. It updates the State of the Arctic Report introduced in 2006. The Arctic Report Card 2007 is presented on the web at http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/. The web-based format facilitates future timely updates of the content.