On the (melting) rocks: Climate change and the global issue of permafrost depletion

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2023-12, Vol.903, p.166615-166615, Article 166615
• Main Authors: Leal Filho, Walter, Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta, Nagy, Gustavo J., Fracassi, Umberto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic infrastructure; Global warming; Greenhouse gas emissions; Permafrost impacts; Permafrost thawing
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166615

This short communication reports on the pressures posed by climate change on permafrost. The phenomenon of the (melting) rocks, soil, and ground that host permafrost does not just concern a remote stretch of the Arctic north. It is a far larger area than most citizens may realise if looking at an ordinary map projection. Broadly distributed and crucial as it is for the Earth's climate, permafrost thawing due to climate change can affect or upend several aspects associated with life and prosperity on Earth, demanding far greater attention. The loss of permafrost is a global problem that requires a global solution. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) must be reduced to slow permafrost's thawing and negative impacts. As such, this short communication aims to catalyse a global debate on this climate change consequential issue, also providing specific suggestions for reducing the impacts of permafrost depletion. [Display omitted] •Permafrost thawing is associated with climate change and demands global solutions.•Permafrost thawing impacts global climate, sustainable development, and CO2 budget.•Permafrost thawing disrupts hydrology, habitats, forest cover, and infrastructure.•Thawing older permafrost horizons can release GHG and locked nocive components.•More research is needed to better understand the impacts of permafrost depletion.