The Upside To Thawing Permafrost Is...Nothing, It's Bad
Friday, March 21, 2014 - 21:40
in Earth & Climate
Every dark cloud has a silver lining and the silver lining for a thawing permafrost is...still a dark cloud. The climate is warming in the Arctic at twice the rate of the rest of the globe. That has led to a longer growing season and increased plant growth, which captures atmospheric carbon - that is good - but it is thawing the permafrost, which releases carbon into the atmosphere. Permafrost contains three to seven times the amount of carbon sequestered in tropical forests. A thawing permafrost which will result in the release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere creating feedbacks to climate change – more warming and greater permafrost thaw. read more