Huge danger from permafrost loss

a mat of vegetation and soil is draped over a layer of ice in the landscape

photo by Anna Liljedahl

Huge danger from permafrost loss

a mat of vegetation and soil is draped over a layer of ice in the landscape

With the Arctic warming four times as fast as the rest of the globe, and fires now routinely burning large swaths of northern forests, carbon stored in permafrost is rapidly escaping into the atmosphere where it can warm the planet even faster. Edward Alexander, Senior Arctic Lead at the Woodwell Climate Research Center and a Co-Chair of the Gwich’in Council International, speaks with Host Jenni Doering about the enormous climate risks of permafrost loss and how Indigenous cultural practices can help protect this vital resource.

Listen on Living on Earth.

Living on Earth Research area