Study concludes that if the permafrost thaws, carbon and methane emissions will skyrocket
A newfound discovery of super-size frozen carbon deposits in the arctic has scientists worried that permafrost carbon thawing could accelerate climate change. A study has shown that there is more than twice the amount of carbon stored in the arctic and boreal regions than was suspected‹over 1.5 trillion tons of frozen carbon (approximately twice as much CO2 in the atmosphere now). If the permafrost thaws, it may lead to significant emissions of carbon and methane into the atmosphere. “Permafrost carbon is a bit of a wildcard in the efforts to predict future climate change,” says Dr Canadell, co-author of the study.