Way up North, it’s way up: Alaska Temperature Rising Three Times Global Average
The temperature in Alaska is rising three times the global average. This has led to about 80% of the state’s permafrost into melting, a process that releases carbon dioxide and methane, both greenhouse gases.
READ MORE ABOUT ALASKA AND GLOBAL WARMING
Alaska Is Falling Apart As Climate Worsens
Global Warming Is Shrinking Alaska
“Alaska is both the most climate-vulnerable state in the nation and, with its ice-locked methane beginning to defrost, a virtual climate bomb,” the Los Angeles Times reports, with the permafrost issue being the latest evidence.
Meanwhile, according to the USDA, “Rising temperatures can be tied to most of the effects of climate change in Alaska. Reduced ice coverage, including shrinking glaciers, retreating sea ice and thawing permafrost, are all serious impacts of rapid warming.”
Bonus for boating
The problem also extends to similar regions in northern Canada and Russia, and is among the reasons the Arctic Ocean has become a shipping lane. Hundreds of vessels are forecast to be able to transit the passage soon, saving days of travel for ships that have had to navigate oceans further south.
The release of greenhouse gases has caused the world temperature to rise rapidly, with 2024 expected to be the hottest year on record. The elements that have driven the acceleration in Alaska could move further south as the years get warmer and warmer.
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