Thawing Arctic permafrost is releasing methane and carbon dioxide that have been locked in frozen ground for thousands of years. The Arctic is warming about four times faster than the global average, and scientists quoted in this article say the region now emits more greenhouse gas than it absorbs. That shift matters because permafrost holds roughly three times as much carbon as the atmosphere currently does. The article also covers the physical damage from thaw: collapsing ground, slumps, and failing infrastructure. Studies cited suggest permafrost emissions could add about half a degree Celsius of warming by 2100 on top of fossil fuel emissions, a fraction that is often missing from climate projections. For anyone tracking carbon budgets or planning long-term projects, this is a concrete risk to include.
