![]() ![]() As a result, permafrost layers are melting. Permafrost temperatures are rising at a much faster rate than the temperature of the air in the Arctic, and have risen between 1.5 to 2.5 degrees Celsius in the last 30 years. Even if a small fraction of these greenhouse gases are released, it will have major consequences on not only the Arctic, but Earth’s entire climate system, as they intensify global climate change. However, if it thaws, microbes will begin to eat the material, causing it to decay and releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. As long as this organic matter remains frozen, it will stay trapped in the permafrost. ![]() Permafrost covers 24 percent of the surface of land masses in the northern hemisphere and accounts for nearly half of all organic carbon stored within the planet’s soil. Permafrost thaw is one of the gravest yet lesser discussed impacts of climate change. Photo: United States National Parks Service Climate Change Response The Arctic Institute’s new series examines permafrost degradation and its implications from an interdisciplinary perspective. Permafrost degradation is a major threat to Arctic communities and ecosystems, but it also extends beyond the region, as it contributes to climate change and the positive feedback loop which threatens to push our planet into an environmental crisis. ![]()
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