permafrost
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Credit: Nordroden/Big Stock Photo
Melting Alaskan permafrost releases dangerous mercury levels
Thawing permafrost in Alaska's Yukon River is releasing alarming amounts of mercury, posing a significant threat to local Indigenous communities.
In short:
- A new study reveals that melted permafrost is releasing more mercury than previously estimated, with serious implications for human health.
- The mercury release could potentially contaminate fish, a critical food source for Alaska Native peoples, though further research is needed.
- The study highlights the broader risks of climate change to both the environment and Indigenous cultures.
Key quote:
“It has that sense of a bomb that’s going to go off.”
— Josh West, professor of earth sciences and environmental studies at USC
Why this matters:
Mercury poisoning is a severe health risk, especially for vulnerable populations like pregnant women and children. The loss of traditional food sources and cultural practices due to contamination could further harm Indigenous communities.
Related EHN coverage:
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Credit: Florence D./Pixabay
Warming waters in Europe pose significant health risks, says EU agency
A report by the European Environment Agency warns of health hazards from emerging waterborne diseases and pollution due to climate change.
In short:
- Thawing permafrost in northern Europe is expected to release pathogens and pollutants, raising concerns about food and water safety.
- Health risks such as ciguatera poisoning from contaminated fish and anthrax outbreaks among reindeer are increasing due to climate impacts.
- The European Environment Agency urges immediate and comprehensive implementation of existing climate, water, and health policies.
Key quote:
"Protecting human lives and health from the impacts of climate change, including droughts, floods and worsened water quality is of utmost importance and urgency."
— Leena Ylä-Mononen, chief of the European Environment Agency
Why this matters:
Scientists warn that pathogens, some of which may have been encased in ice for thousands of years, could enter local water systems as the ice melts. This phenomenon raises the possibility of diseases unknown to modern medicine or those considered eradicated reappearing in the environment. Additionally, the release of pollutants—such as heavy metals and toxic chemicals previously locked within the ice—could contaminate soil and waterways, further threatening agricultural productivity and drinking water quality.
Be sure to read:
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Credit: Florence D./Pixabay
Russian collaboration freeze impacts permafrost research
The escalating thaw of Arctic permafrost, a critical factor in global climate change, faces research challenges due to a halt in scientific collaboration with Russia, hindering vital data collection and analysis.
In short:
- The Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a halt in international permafrost research collaborations.
- More than half of the Arctic's permafrost, a significant carbon store, lies under Russian territory.
- Scientists are seeking alternative methods like remote sensing and proxy sites, but the lack of direct Russian data is a significant setback.
Key quote:
"We need specific measurements, in real time, and it has to happen from people in the ecosystem."
— Ted Schuur, Northern Arizona University
Why this matters:
This disruption hampers the global understanding of permafrost's role in climate change. Accurate data on permafrost thaw and greenhouse gas release is crucial for predicting and mitigating climate impacts, emphasizing the need for international scientific collaboration.
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Ancient zombie viruses in melting Siberian permafrost could cause new pandemic, scientists warn
The effects of disturbing millennia-old viruses could be ‘calamitous’, scientists warn.
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Photo by Viktoria Spokojna on Unsplash
With Arctic permafrost thawing, Pentagon frets over deadly pathogens
In one troubling case, dozens of people were sickened − and thousands of reindeer were killed − when anthrax spores emerged from the thawing permafrost in an Arctic region of Siberia.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
How global warming is changing landscapes in the Canadian Arctic
Global warming is altering landscapes in the Canadian Arctic, with a focus on Axel Heiberg Island in Nunavut. There has been a significant change in a river network carved into the permafrost in just 60 years; such landscape alterations typically occur over hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.
Photo by sara nudaveritas on Unsplash
From carbon sink to source: the stark changes in Arctic lakes
For millennia, lakes in Greenland’s dry tundra have locked up huge loads of carbon in their sediment. But as the Arctic becomes warmer and wetter, scientists believe these lakes could become sources of carbon, which would have important consequences for the world’s climate.
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