Climate Change - Permafrost and greenhouse gases

Arctic permafrost – ground that has been frozen for many thousands of years – is now thawing because of global climate change.
“The release of greenhouse gases resulting from thawing Arctic permafrost could have catastrophic global consequences,” said Dr. Max Holmes, a Senior Scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC).


Schematic diagram of greenhouse gases and permafrost.  

Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) into the atmosphere, which accelerate climate change, which in turn cause more thawing of the permafrost. 

 This may be a fairly slow process, and there is a lot more research to be done in this area.

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