Climate change

GS PAPER II: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Context: Arctic fires, thawing permafrost pose growing threat to climate: study.

Key highlights of study:

• While more research is needed to measure the emissions coming from permafrost, the researchers estimate that fires along with abrupt thawing events could increase carbon emissions up to 40% by the end of the century unless fossil fuel emission are drastically reduced.
• The warming Arctic tundra will make it harder for the world to curb climate change, as thawing permafrost and wildfires release greenhouse gases that are not fully accounted for in global emissions agreements.
• That would blow the global "emissions budget”. As temperatures rise and permafrost thaws, carbon dioxide and methane trapped within the long-frozen soil are released.
• That threatens to create a feedback loop that contributes to even more warming of the atmosphere.
• Policymakers need to be pursuing deeper emissions cuts.

About Permafrost:

• Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer on or under Earth's surface.
• It consists of soil, gravel, and sand, usually bound together by ice. Permafrost usually remains at or below 0°C (32ºF) for at least two years.
• Permafrost can be found on land and below the ocean floor.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/arctic-fires-thawing-permafrost-pose-growing-threat-to-climate-study/article34584285.ece?homepage=true