The state of the Arctic: High temperatures, melting ice, fires and unprecedented emissions
The state of the Arctic: High temperatures, melting ice, fires and unprecedented emissions
The Arctic tundra has switched from a carbon sink to a source of emissions, according to a NOAA report.
Summary
The Arctic experienced its second-hottest year on record, with the tundra shifting from a carbon sink to a carbon source due to melting permafrost releasing greenhouse gases like methane.
The NOAA’s Arctic report highlights Arctic amplification, where melting ice and snow expose darker surfaces that absorb more heat, driving regional warming 2-4 times faster than lower latitudes.
Consequences include rising sea levels, extreme wildfires, and unprecedented emissions—wildfires alone exceeded Canada’s economic emissions.
Arctic sea ice has declined 50% since the 1980s, signaling a rapidly transforming and unstable ecosystem.
We may be doomed.
Our current way of living definitely is doomed and maybe humanity is too but I take solace in the fact that Mother Nature has bounced back after some pretty bad catastrophes. It’s cliche but “life finds a way”.
That said, I wish we could get our collective head out of our ass and work towards solutions rather than relying on that hope.
If it's any consolation, Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is only about 1m above sea level and will be among the very first properties to get flooded by the encroaching sea.