What will happen when the permafrost thaws?

A river drops off where it intersects with a large thaw slump, which has eroded tons of soil from the landscape

Photo by Scott Zolkos.

What will happen when the permafrost thaws?

A river drops off where it intersects with a large thaw slump, which has eroded tons of soil from the landscape

Since the Industrial Revolution nearly 150 years ago, global average temperatures have increased by more than 1 degree C (1.9 degrees F), with the majority of that warming occurring since 1975. But during these recent decades of accelerated warming, temperatures in the arctic (latitudes above 66 degrees north) have have been rising even faster – nearly four times faster than the average global rate.

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