According to the ‘Arctic Report Card’ by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA), Arctic tundra, which has stored carbon for thousands of years, has now become a source of planet-warming pollution.
Key Findings
- Arctic Tundra Carbon Shift:
- The Arctic tundra, historically a carbon sink for millennia, has turned into a source of CO₂ and CH₄ emissions.
- Major Impacts: This shift accelerates climate change due to the potent greenhouse gases (GHGs) released.
- Arctic Warming Trends:
- 2024 saw the second-warmest Arctic surface air temperatures on record since 1900.
- The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average, continuing an 11-year trend.
- Increased Wildfires:
- The Arctic has experienced more frequent and intense wildfires, contributing to carbon emissions and accelerating permafrost melt.
- Emissions: Polar wildfires have averaged 207 million tons of carbon per year since 2003 — more than annual emissions of countries like Argentina or Austria.
- Permafrost Thaw and Carbon Release:
- Arctic soils hold 1.6 trillion metric tonnes of carbon, double the amount currently in the atmosphere.
- Thawing permafrost activates microbes that decompose trapped organic matter, releasing both CO₂ and CH₄. Permafrost is any ground that stays frozen for at least two years straight
- Global Climate Implications:
- The combined effects of warming, permafrost thaw, and wildfires in the Arctic exacerbate global climate impacts.
Features of Tundra
- Extremely cold climate
- Low biotic diversity
- Simple vegetation structure
- Limitation of drainage
- Short season of growth and reproduction
- Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material
- Large population oscillations
