The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the Earth - in 2023, the Arctic experienced the warmest summer in 120 years.
Overheating at high latitudes will lead to sea level rise and will affect North America and Eurasia, lenta.ru writes with reference to a report by scientists from the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In 2023, Greenland lost 158.7 billion tons of ice – the elevated melting rate has been recorded since 1998 and is approaching record values.
The reduction in the area of land ice leads to an increase in sea level. Coastal cities are beginning to flood, and this affects housing, infrastructure, transport and business.
The melting of permafrost also contributes to the greening of the North American tundra – there are more and more shrubs and trees.
In addition, carbon dioxide is released from the permafrost. The melting of glaciers also leads to an increase in the number of fires.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished