Leaking Siberian Ice Raises a Tricky Climate Issue

Climate change could be unfolding at a faster pace than predicted by most scientists. New research suggests that rapidly thawing permafrost in remote regions like Siberia and Alaska is expected to release methane and tons of carbon into the atmosphere, reports Arthur Max for the Associated Press. “As the Earth warms, the summer thaw bites a bit deeper, awakening ice-age microbes that attack organic matter – vegetation and animal remains – buried where oxygen cannot reach, producing methane that gurgles to the surface and into the air,” Max explains. Some researchers and governments hold out hope that curbing human activities that release emissions into the atmosphere could slow warming temperatures and rising seas. Governments plan to meet in Cancun, Mexico, to review climate research and proposed carbon limits, but little concrete action is expected. Meanwhile, military leaders plan for disruptions, refugees and conflict. – YaleGlobal