Global Warming Could Thaw Far More Permafrost Than Expected, Study Says

"Research says more than 40 percent of the frozen tundra could un-freeze if global temperatures continue to rise, scientists find."

"More than 40 percent of the world's permafrost—landscape covered in frozen soil—is at risk of thawing even if the world succeeds in limiting global warming to the international goal of 2 degrees Celsius, according to a new study.

Currently, permafrost covers about nearly 5.8 million square miles, and scientists found as much as 2.5 million square miles of that could thaw—about twice the area of Alaska, California and Texas combined—in a 2 degree Celsius scenario. Thawing would be more limited if warming can be held to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but could still affect 1.8 million square miles.

The new research was published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change."

Zahra Hirji reports for InsideClimate News April 10, 2017.