While you may have heard of permafrost, what is it exactly? The term permafrost refers to ground that has stayed at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of two years. It varies in how thick it is, ranging from less than 3.3 feet to thicker than 4,900 feet. Permafrost regions include parts of Greenland, Russia, Alaska, Canada, as well as islands and sections of northern Europe.
Climate change has been causing the permafrost to thaw. Its regions are shrinking, its layers are thinning, and sections of it are vanishing entirely. Climate change is caused by fossil fuels. Activities like manufacturing, industry, deforestation, animal agriculture, transportation, and fishing are all contributors to climate change.
So, what risks does a thawing permafrost pose? The results of a permafrost melt would be devastating. Sea levels will rise and shorelines will erode. The altered ecosystems will limit water availability for plants, animals, and humans. One concern on the forefront of scientists’ minds is that melting permafrost has the potential to release hazardous industrial wastes that have long been stored within it.
What could happen if the permafrost melts
If the permafrost melts, we are facing a collection of problematic issues — and not just more mosquitoes with all the water. Industrial activities have been common for years in permafrost regions. However, hazardous substances from activities like mining and drilling have been left in the permafrost as a sort of storage or waste dump. In areas of Alaska, Canada, and Russia, radioactive waste has even been placed within the permafrost to contain it. If the permafrost melts, it could release these toxins and chemicals.
A permafrost melt will affect the water cycle, drying up wetlands and resulting in fewer resources for animals to survive. People living in these areas will have a harder time finding water. Less protective permafrost means the shoreline will be more vulnerable to erosion, taking away livable land. The rising sea levels will exacerbate this problem. Ancient viruses and diseases frozen in the permafrost could also be released onto the human population. The situation is quite serious, but efforts are being made to try to save the permafrost, or at least halt it from further thawing.
Efforts to save the Arctic permafrost
So, what’s being done about the issues a melting permafrost could cause? The problem with the hazardous waste dumps in the permafrost is that they are difficult to locate. Proper monitoring of such sites would enable scientists to ensure their safety. The Contaminated Sites Program in Alaska and the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory in Canada are working to ensure that such waste dump sites are documented.
The Paris Agreement has its efforts focused on reducing emissions to attempt to combat global warming temperatures: the same warming temperatures that cause the permafrost to thaw. Though climate change laws can be a source of controversy as many businesses could be impacted by having to change their operations, ongoing efforts still try to promote clean energy resources and less waste.
There are things people can do individually to help save the permafrost by reducing their carbon footprint. You can reduce your impact on the planet by driving less, eating more plant-based meals, reducing plastic waste, and trying to use green energy like solar panels. While the problem is large, efforts on a global scale — from the individual to entire countries — can help ensure that a future with no permafrost never happens.
