Arctic Tundra Now Source of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Photo: Megan Coughlin/Flickr

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Arctic tundra is becoming a source of carbon dioxide emissions.

NOAA says that the Arctic has stored carbon dioxide in frozen soil for “millennia.” As the Arctic tundra burns more frequently during the summer, that frozen soil is melting and releasing that trapped carbon dioxide. This is happening as the Arctic tundra already acts to absorb “record levels of heat-trapping fossil fuel pollution.”

This data is part of the 2024 Arctic Report Card, assembled by 97 scientists from 11 countries.

“Our observations now show that the Arctic tundra, which is experiencing warming and increased wildfire, is now emitting more carbon than it stores, which will worsen climate change impacts,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “This is yet one more sign, predicted by scientists, of the consequences of inadequately reducing fossil fuel pollution.”

In addition to the extra carbon dioxide production, NOAA says their report card also indicates that large inland caribou herds are on the decline, in addition to increased rain events. These rain events dump onto existing snow, creating an “icy shell, making travel difficult for people and foraging challenging for wildlife.”

They also noted that Arctic annual surface air temps are the second-warmest they’ve been since 1900.

You can read more of the 2024 Arctic Report card here.