Russia’s “Kingdom of Winter” is thawing

As the Arctic, including much of Siberia, warms twice as fast as the rest of the world, the permafrost – permanently frozen ground – is thawing, putting cities, oil pipelines and other infrastructure at risk


Extent of permafrost (% of area)

Continuous (90-100%) 
Sporadic (10-50%)
Discontinuous (50-90%)
Isolated patches (0-10%)
Subsea permafrost


Permafrost: Formed 11,700 years ago – covers almost 65% of Russia.
80% of Russia’s gas production is in Arctic

Srednekolymsk: Summer above Arctic Circle is now four weeks longer than in 1980
Permafrost warmed by 3°C during 20th century

Russian permafrost contains estimated 70 billion tonnes
of methane


Active layer

Continuous: Permafrost contains plant and animal remains

Discontinuous: Action of microbes causes organic material to decompose into carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)

Sporadic-isolated: CO2 and CH4 released into atmosphere

CO2 CH4


ALASKA (U.S.)
U.S. 
CANADA
North Pole
Arctic Circle
RUSSIA
Moscow


Sources: Climate Change Post, National Snow and Ice Data Center
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